THE  J.  PAUL  GETTY  MUSEUM  LIBRARY 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2016  with  funding  from 
Getty  Research  Institute 


https://archive.org/details/jeanmarcnattierOOunse 


. r 


i 


MASTERS  IN  ART 

A SERIES  OF  ILLUSTRATED 
MONOGRAPHS;  ISSUED  MONTHLY 


PART  30  JUNE,  1902  VOLUMES 


0Attiex 

CONTENTS 


Plate  I.  Madame  Adelaide  of  France  as  Diana  Palace  of  Versailles 

Plate  II.  Marie  Leczinska,  Queen  of  France  Palace  of  Versailles 

Plate  III.  Mlle.  de  Clermont  as  Nymph  of  the  Waters  of  Chantilly 

CoNDE  Museum:  Chantilly 


Plate  IV.  Madame  Elisabeth,  Duchesse  de  Parme 
Plate  V.  Madame  Sophie  of  France 
Plate  VI.  Madame  Henriette  of  France 
Plate  VII.  Madame  Louise  of  France 
Plate  VIII.  La  Duchesse  d’Orleans  as  Hebe 
Plate  IX.  Louise-Henriette  de  Bourbon-Conti 

Plate  X.  Madame  Adelaide  of  France 

Portrait  of  Nattier  by  Himself:  Palace  of  Versailles 
The  Life  of  Nattier 

Madame  ToccyiE 

The  Art  of  Nattier 

Criticisms  by  Alexandre,  Perate,  Hedouin,  Blanc,  Burger,  Merson,  Mantz 
The  Works  of  Nattier:  Descriptions  of  the  Plates  and  a List  of  Paintings 
Nattier  Bibliography 

Photo-engravings  by  Folsom  Sunergren  : Boston.  Press-work  by  the  Everett  Press:  Boston. 


Palace  of  Versailles 
Palace  of  Versailles 
Palace  of  Versailles 
Palace  of  Versailles 
National  Museum  : Stockholm 
Palace  of  Versailles 
Palace  of  Versailles 
Page  ao 


Page  21 

Page  27 

Page  33 
Page  40 


PUBLISHERS’  ANNOUNCEMENTS 

SUBSCRIPTIONS;  Subscription  price,  $1.50  a year,  in  advance,  postpaid  to  any  address  in  the  United  States  or 
Canada;  to  foreign  countries  in  the  Postal  Union,  $2.00.  Single  copies,  15  cents.  Subscriptions  may  begin  with  any 
issue,  but  as  each  yearly  volume  of  the  magazine  commences  with  the  January  number,  and  as  index-pages,  bindings,  etc., 
are  prepared  for  complete  volumes,  intending  subscribers  are  advised  to  date  their  subscriptions  from  January. 
REMITTANCES  : Remittances  may  be  made  by  Post-office  money-order,  bank  cheque,  express  order,  or  in  post- 
age stamps.  Currency  sent  by  mail  usually  comes  safely,  but  should  be  securely  wrapped,  and  is  at  the  risk  of  the  sender. 
CHANGES  OF  ADDRESS  : When  a change  of  address  is  desired,  both  the  old  and  the  new  addresses  should  be 
given,  and  notice  of  the  change  should  reach  this  office  not  later  than  the  fifteenth  of  the  month  to  affect  the  succeeding 
issue.  The  publishers  cannot  be  responsible  for  copies  lost  through  failure  to  notify  them  of  such  changes. 

BOUND  VOLUMES  AND  BINDINGS  : Volume  i,  containing  Parts  i to  12  inclusive,  and  Volume  2,  con- 
taining Parts  I 3 to  24  inclusive,  bound  in  brown  buckram  with  gilt  stamps  and  gilt  top,  ^3.00  each,  postpaid;  bound  in 
green  half-morocco,  gilt  top,  $3.50  each,  postpaid.  Subscribers’  copies  of  Volume  i or  Volume  2 will  be  bound  to  order 
in  buckram,  with  gilt  stamps  and  gilt  top,  for  $1.50  each;  or  in  half-morocco,  gilt  top,  for  $2.00  each.  Indexes  and 
half-titles  for  binding  Volumes  1 and  2 supplied  on  application. 


BATES  & GUILD  COMPANY,  PUBLISHERS 
42  CHAUNCY  STREET,  BOSTON,  MASS. 


b.02 


>>S 


Entered  at  the  Bolton  Pott-office  at  Second-clatt  Mail  Matter.  Copyright.  igOI.  by  Batet  Guild  Company.  Botton. 


MASTERS  IN  ART 


THIS  WORK  MIGHT  JUSTLY  HAVE  BEEN  NAMED  “COLONIAL  FURNITURE,” 
FOR  IT  ILLUSTRATES  THE  VERY  EXAMPLES  FROM  WHICH 
OUR  COLONIAL  DESIGNERS  COPIED 

ilouoeijoltt 

Georgian  Period  One  Hundred  Plates 

a OR  hundreds  of  years  English  private  collect- 
ors have  been  acquiring  the  finest  specimens 
of  Georgian  furniture,  and  recently  more  than 
a score  of  the  most  noted  of  them  contributed 
their  finest  pieces  to  a loan  exhibition  at  the  South 
Kensington  Museum.  Three  hundred  and  forty-eight 
specimens,  the  best  of  those  exhibited,  were  then  pho- 
tographed, and  these  photographs  are  excellently  re- 
produced in  this  work.  It  will  be  evident  that  the 
book  presents  the  very  finest  examples  of  Georgian  (or 
Colonial)  furniture  now  existing.  The  variety  of  pieces 
shown  is  very  great,  and  ranges  from  the  simplest  to 
the  most  elaborately  carved ; the  photographs  have 
been  made  expressly  to  show  construction  clearly;  the 
index  gives  complete  descriptive  details.  The  book  is 
worth  its  price  to  any  one  interested  in  the  Colonial 
style,  because  of  its  infinite  suggestiveness  for  all  kinds 
of  decorative  detail  in  that  style,  quite  apart  from  the 
subject  of  furniture. 

In  Portfolio,  $10.00,  Express  Paid 
Bound,  . . $12.00,  Express  Paid 

THE  100  PLATES  MEASURE  lo  x 13I/2  INCHES  EACH,  AND  SHOW  348  PIECES  OF 
FURNITURE.  SUPPLIED  EITHER  IN  A BUCKRAM  PORTFOLIO,  OR 
BOUND  IN  BROWN  HALF-MOROCCO 


BATES  & GUILD  COMPANY,  PUBLISHERS 
42  CHAUNCY  STREET,  BOSTON,  MASS. 


MASTERS  IN  ART 


The  illustration  above  is  a section  in  our  showrooms  containing  a gray- 
sandstone  mantel,  modeled  from  the  original  in  the  South  of  France, 
and  counted  one  of  the  finest  examples,  architecturally,  ever  found. 

AS  the  result  of  much  study  and  effort,  we  are  prepared  to  offer  to 
the  public  a most  thoroughly  equipped  organization  for  Interior 
Decorating  and  Furnishing,  and  can  follow  the  builders  in 
their  construction,  executing  the  trim  and  cabinet  work,  all  decora- 
tions and  furnishings, and  making  the  furniturein  harmony  with  archi- 
tectural requirements,  thereby  securing  correct  freatment  throughout 


MASTERS  IN  ART 


A NEW  BOOK  BT 

KATE  DOUGLAS  WIGGIN 

Author  of  The  Penelope  Books 


THE  DIARY  OF  A GOOSE  GIRL 


WITH  A 
DECORATIVE 
COVER  IN 
COLORS 

BY  M.  M.  BEARD 
1 2MO 
PRICE 
$ 1 .00 
POSTPAID 


The  fancy  and  humor  for  which  Mrs.  Wiggin  is  famous  have  free  range, 
and  her  sentiment  for  beauty  finds  abundant  play  in  the  descriptions  of  the 
tiny  Sussex  village  where  the  heroine,  an  American  girl,  tends  her  flock. 


HOUGHTON,  MIFFLIN  AND  COMPANT 

BOSTON  AND  NEW  YORK 


MASTERS  IN  ART 


AUDREY 


By  MARY  JOHNSTON 

With  Colored  III  u st  r at  io  ns  by  F.  C.  YO  HN 

“ Audrey  is  wistfully  alluring,  captivating  senses  which  yield  themselves 
unreservedly  to  her  charm.”  — Chicago  Tribune. 

“ A novel  that  holds  the  memory  as  well  as  the  heart.  Audrey  has  a 
fascination  like  that  of  the  fairies  for  mortals.”  • — N.  Y.  Press. 

‘‘  Miss  Johnston  is  one  of  the  few  conspicuously  delightful  story-tellers 
of  modern  American  literature.”  — Philadelphia  Record. 


“ The  high-water-mark  of  romance  is  reached.”  — Loudon  Times. 

“ Attractive  and  delightful  — full  of  freshness  and  surprises;  it  is  a very 
charming  romance.”  — London  Telegraph. 

“ A very  charming  book.  Audrey’s  is  a fine  and  noble  soul.”  — The  Spec- 
tator (London). 

“ Audrey  seems  the  embodiment  of  all  that  one  has  read  in  poetry,  story, 
and  drama.”  — St.  John,  N.  B.,  Globe. 

All  Bookstores.  $i .<so.  Houghton,  Mifflin  5r  Co.,  Publishers 

AUDREY 


MASTERS  I N ART 


BATES  & GUILD  CO.’S  PUBLICATIONS 


TWO  BOOKS  OF  INTEREST  TO  EVERY  STUDENT 
OF  THE  COLONIAL  PERIOD  OF 
AMERICAN  HISTORY 


EXAMPLES  OF 

Bome0ttc  Colonial  arcfjiterture 

IN  NEW  ENGLAND 

HIS  COLLECTION,  made  in  1891  by  James  M.  Corner  and  E.  E.  Soderholtz,  has 
been  out  of  print  for  several  years,  copies  commanding  a high  premium  when  sold.  It 
is  the  best  collection  extant  of  examples  representative  of  the  best  architecture  of  the 
Colonial  Period,  as  found  in  Salem,  Portsmouth,  Danvers,  Newburyport,  Marblehead,  and  other 
cities  and  towns  in  New  England,  and  shows  exteriors,  interiors,  and  details. 


C|)e  Colonial  ^rcljitecture 

OF  MARYLAND, 

PENNSYLVANIA,  AND  VIRGINIA 

COLLECTION  similar  and  of  equal  excellence  to  that  made  by  Messrs.  Comer  and 
Soderholtz  in  New  England,  was  made  in  Maryland,  Pennsylvania,  and  Virginia  by 
Mr.  J.  E.  Chandler,  though  Mr.  Chandler  did  not  confine  himself  to  examples  of 
domestic  work.  The  fact  that  this  book  is  now  in  its  third  edition  is  proof  of  its  value.  In 
publishing  this  new  edition  of  the  New  England  collection,  the  publishers  have  made  it  uniform 
in  style  with  Mr.  Chandler’s  book,  and  present  it  in  a handsomer  form  than  the  original  edition. 


PRICE  OF  EACH  BOOK,  TWELVE  DOLLARS,  EXPRESS  PAID 

EACH  WORK  CONSISTS  OF  FIFTY  ALBERTYPE  PLATES,  TWELVE  BY  FIFTEEN  INCHES, 
FROM  ORIGINAL  COPYRIGHTED  NEGATIVES,  WITH  TITLE-PAGE 
AND  INDEX,  IN  ARTISTIC  PORTFOLIO 


FORTY-TWO  CHAUNCY  ST.,  BOSTON,  MASS. 


MASTERS  IN  AHT  PLATE  1 MADAME  ADELAIDE  OF  FEANCE  AS  DIANA 

PHOTOORAPH  8Y  8RAUB,  CLEMENT  1 CIE  PALACE  OF  VEESAILLES 


MASTKRS  IX  ART  PLATE  IT 

photograph  9Y  BRAUN,  CLEMENT  4 CIE 


XATTIER 

MARIK  LKC.ZIXSKA.  rjTKKX  OK  KKAXCE 
I’AI^ACE  OF  VEKSAILI/KS 


MASTERS  IX  ART  PLATE  III 


photograph  8Y  BRAUN,  CLEMENT  & CIE 


XATTIER 

MLLE.  TIE  CLERMOXT  AS  NTMPIT  OE  TITE  WATERS  OE  CHANTILLY 
CONDE  MESEUM,  CHANTILLY 


MASTKKS  IX  AKT  I^I.ATE  IV 


PHOTOGRAPH  BY  BRAUN,  CLEMENT  & C(E 


XATTIKK 

MAJIAMK  ElASAHETir.  DUCIIESSE  JJE  PAKME 
PA7.ACK  OF  VKKSAIEEES 


MASTKKS  IX  AKT  PLATF:  V 


PHOTOGRAPH  BY  BRAUN,  CLEMENT  A ClE 


XATTIEli 

.MAJJAMK  SOPIIIJ':  OF  FiiAXCE 
J^U.ACK  OF  VKKSAIIA.KS 


MASTKHS  IX  AKT  PI, ATE  VI 


PHOTOGRAPH  BY  BRAUN,  CLEMENT  4 CiE. 


XATTIKK 

MADAME  HEXHIKTTK  OF  FHAXCE 
J^ALACE  OF  VKRi^AILLES 


MASTEKS  rX  AKT  PLATE  VII 

PHOTOGRAPH  BY  BRAUN,  CLEMENT  A CIE 


XAT'ITER 

JIALAME  LOriSP:  OF  P'RAA'CP: 
PALACE  OF  Vp:RSArLLES 


MASTEJ^S  IX  AHr  PLATE  VIII 


XATTIIilR 

I.A  lJUCJIESSE  J)’OKLEAXS  AS  HEHE 
XATIOXAI.  MI’SKl’M,  STOCKHOLM 


PMOTOGRAPHEO  POR  ‘ MASTERS 


ART 


MASTERS  IX  ART  PLATE  IX 
photograph  9Y  BRAUN,  CLEMENT  4 CIE 


XATTIKR 

LOl'ISK-HEA*RIETTE  })K  JJOrKJ^.OX-«;OXTr 
PALA(:K  ok  VERSA  it. lks 


MASTKKS  IX  AKT  PLATE  X 

PHOTOGRAPH  9Y  9RAUN,  CLEMENT  A.  ClE 


XATTIEK 

MADAME  ADELAIDE  f)F  FHAXCE 
PALACE  OF  VERSAILLES 


POKTltAIT  OF  JEAX-MAItC  A’^ATTIEll  PALACE  OF  VERSAILLES 

This  portrait,  a detail  from  the  picture  of  Nattier,  Madame  Nattier,  and  four  of  their 
children  at  Versailles,  bears  a legend  stating  that  it  was  painted  by  “Jean-Marc 
Nattier,  Treasurer  of  the  Royal  Academy  of  Painting  and  Sculpture.  ” It  was  begun 
in  1730  and  finished  in  1761.  The  picture  as  a whole  has  various  faults,  due  in  part 
no  doubt  to  the  long  period  which  elapsed  during  its  execution,  for  the  children  had 
grown  up  meantime,  and  Madame  Nattier  had  died.  The  portrait  of  the  painter, 
however,  bears  all  the  marks  of  being  a good  likeness,  although  we  have  no  contem- 
porary comment  to  show  that  such  was  the  case. 


MASTERS  IN  ART 


fattier 


BORN  1(185:  DIED  1766 
FRENCH  SCHOOL 

The  following  account  of  Nattier’s  life  is  abridged  from  a biographical 
sketch  written  by  his  eldest  daughter,  Marie-Catherine-Pauline,  wife 
of  the  painter  Louis  Tocque. 

MADAME  TOCQUE  ‘MEMOIRES  INEDITS’ 

JEAN-MARC  NATTIER'  was  born  in  Paris  on  the  seventeenth  of 
March,  1685.  His  father,  Marc  Nattier,  was  an  artist  and  a member  of 
the  Royal  Academy  of  France,  and  his  mother  was  a miniature  painter 
of  decided  ability.  When  she  was  only  twenty-two  years  of  age,  however, 
she  became  paralyzed,  and  was  an  invalid  for  the  remainder  of  her  life. 
Although  the  expenses  necessarily  incurred  by  this  sad  condition  of  affairs 
were  a great  drain  upon  their  fortunes,  the  parents  gave  every  possible  ad- 
vantage in  the  way  of  education  to  their  two  sons,  who  from  earliest  child- 
hood had  shown  such  a marked  inclination  for  painting  that  their  father 
determined  to  make  every  sacrifice  for  their  advancement  in  this  art.  His 
hopes  were  not  disappointed,  for  the  boys  responded  to  his  wishes  with  gen- 
uine enthusiasm  for  the  study. 

As  soon  as  little  Jean-Marc,  the  younger  of  the  two  boys  and  the  subject 
of  this  memoir,  was  old  enough  to  hold  a pencil,  his  father  sent  him  to  the 
Academy,  where  before  long  he  took  a prize  for  drawing.  Indeed,  his  taste 
and  his  love  for  drawing  were  so  great  that  he  eagerly  seized  every  oppor- 
tunity to  copy  the  works  of  the  great  masters;  and  so  excellent  were  his 
copies  that  once  when  he  submitted  to  the  king,  Louis  XIV.,  a drawing 
which  he  had  made  from  Rigaud’s  celebrated  full-length  portrait  of  that 
monarch,  Louis  commended  him,  saying,  “Monsieur,  continue  to  work  thus 
and  you  will  become  a great  man.” 

Nattier  was  only  fifteen  years  old  when  he  copied  from  prints  four  large 
battle-scenes  painted  by  Le  Brim.  When  the  drawings  were  shown  to 
Mansart,  who  was  then  superintendent  of  buildings  in  Paris,  he  was  so  struck 
bv  their  merit  that  he  rewarded  the  young  draughtsman  by  conferring  upon 


Pronounced  Nat-te-a,  with  equal  emphasis  on  each  syllable. 


22 


jWa^terie?  in 

him  the  small  allowance  which  was  set  aside  by  the  Academy  for  the  bene- 
fit of  its  most  deserving  pupils.  The  boy’s  father,  moreover,  obtained  for 
his  son  permission  from  the  king  to  make  drawings  for  an  engraver  from 
Rubens’  pictures,  then  in  the  Luxembourg  Palace,  representing  scenes  in  the 
life  of  Marie  de  Medicis. 

After  his  father’s  death  Nattier  devoted  himself  still  more  earnestly  to  study. 
The  Due  d’Antin,  noticing  his  great  assiduity  at  the  Academy,  proposed  that 
he  should  go  to  Rome,  where  as  a pensioner  of  the  king  he  might  take  a 
place  then  vacant  in  the  French  Academy  of  that  city ; but  Nattier  had  already 
undertaken  several  commissions  that  were  so  urgent  that  he  declined  this 
honor.  In  after  life,  however,  he  bitterly  regretted  his  decision,  and  could 
never  forgive  himself  for  having  lost  such  an  opportunity. 

The  death  of  Louis  XIV.,  that  great  patron  of  art,  led  Nattier  to  listen  to 
propositions  made  to  him  in  1715  by  Monsieur  Lefort,  minister  and  envoy 
of  Peter  the  Great,  Czar  of  Russia.  Lefort  was  commissioned  by  that  mon- 
arch to  induce  artists  of  every  kind  to  go  to  St.  Petersburg,  and  having 
already  engaged  an  able  French  architect,  Leblond,  to  undertake  the  jour- 
ney, he  found  no  great  difficulty  in  persuading  Nattier  to  join  the  czar  at 
Amsterdam,  where  Peter  the  Great  then  was.  No  sooner  had  Nattier 
reached  Amsterdam  than  the  czar  desired  him  to  make  portraits  of  many  of 
the  personages  of  his  court  then  assembled  in  that  city,  and  finally  ordered  him 
to  paint  a picture  of  which  he  himself,  Peter  the  Great,  should  be  the  hero, 
the  subject  being  the  famous  battle  of  Pultowa.  When  these  various  works 
had  been  completed  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  czar,  that  prince,  who  was  on 
the  point  of  leaving  Amsterdam,  despatched  Nattier  to  The  Hague  with  an 
order  to  paint  there  a portrait  of  the  Empress  Catherine,  his  consort. 
Scarcely  was  this  work  begun  than  the  czarina  wrote  such  a glowing  account 
of  it  to  the  czar,  who  was  then  in  Paris,  that  he,  curious  to  see  it,  com- 
manded Nattier  to  return  at  once  to  the  French  capital,  and  to  bring  the  por- 
trait of  the  empress  with  him,  which  Nattier  did.  Now  it  so  happened  that 
on  the  day  on  which  the  portrait  arrived  the  czar  was  to  sup  at  the  house 
of  the  Due  d’Antin,  and  he  was  so  delighted  with  the  striking  resemblance 
which  the  painting  of  the  czarina  bore  to  the  original,  although  the  head 
was  the  only  part  of  the  portrait  that  was  entirely  finished,  that  he  ordered 
it  to  be  sent  to  the  duke’s  house,  and  had  it  placed  upon  a throne  in  the 
banqueting-hall.  On  the  following  day  Nattier  began  a portrait  of  the  czar, 
with  which  that  prince  was  as  much  pleased  as  he  had  been  with  the  artist’s 
other  works. 

On  the  day  before  his  departure  for  St.  Petersburg,  the  czar,  never  doubt- 
ing that  Nattier  had  fully  decided  to  go  to  Russia,  although  as  a matter  of 
fact  the  artist  had  only  agreed  to  take  the  journey  to  Holland,  despatched 
Monsieur  Alsouffiow,  Grand  Marshal  of  the  Russian  court,  to  ask  him  when 
he  would  be  ready  to  follow  the  emperor.  This  direct  question  troubled 
Nattier  exceedingly,  for,  having  been  absorbed  in  his  travels  and  his  work, 
he  had  given  no  serious  thought  to  the  matter,  and  was  consequently  entirely 
undecided  as  to  what  to  do.  All  the  hardships  and  inconveniences  of  such 


23 


3^  e a n ? JW  a r c a 1 1 i c r 

an  undertaking  as  a journey  to  Russia  at  once  presented  themselves  to  his 
mind.  If,  on  the  one  hand,  the  alluring  prospect  of  a brilliant  fortune  lay 
before  him,  he  could  not,  on  the  other  hand,  shut  his  eyes  to  the  innumer- 
able difficulties  which  lay  in  his  path.  Fortunately  for  him,  a friend  in 
whom  he  had  every  confidence  opportunely  appeared  on  the  scene  and  helped 
him  out  of  his  dilemma.  Most  decidedly  disapproving  of  the  scheme,  this 
friend  so  forcefully  represented  to  Nattier  all  the  dangers  to  which  his  talent, 
his  reputation,  and  even  his  life  would  be  subjected  in  expatriating  himself 
and  in  undertaking  such  a journey,  that  the  artist,  convinced  by  his  friend’s 
reasoning,  no  longer  hesitated,  but  positively  declined  to  accompany  the 
czar.  Peter  the  Great  was  so  incensed  by  this  refusal  that,  as  a mark  of  his 
resentment,  he  immediately  ordered  the  portrait  of  the  czarina  to  be  removed 
from  the  studio  where  it  had  been  taken  at  his  command  that  miniature 
copies  might  be  made  from  it;  and  as  a consequence  the  picture  was  never 
entirely  finished,  nor,  indeed,  was  it  ever  paid  for. 

All  thought  of  Russia  being  given  up.  Nattier  now  devoted  himself  to  the 
task  of  painting  his  picture  of  admission  to  the  Royal  Academy, — a histor- 
ical work  (now  in  the  Tours  Museum)  representing  Perseus  showing  the  head 
of  Medusa  at  the  wedding  of  Phyneus.  In  the  year  1718  he  was  received 
into  the  Academy  with  every  possible  mark  of  distinction.  As  his  natural 
taste  lay  in  the  line  of  historical  painting,  his  first  work  after  becoming  a 
member  of  this  society  was  a large  allegorical  painting  of  the  family  of 
Monsieur  de  la  Motte,  Treasurer  of  France. 

In  1719  occurred  the  “System”  of  Law, ^ that  scheme  which  destroyed 
so  many  fortunes  and  had  such  a disastrous  effect  upon  Nattier’s  finances 
that  it  cannot  be  passed  over  in  silence.  Messieurs  Couturier  and  Desvieux, 
directors  of  the  India  Company,  whose  portraits  Nattier  was  at  that  time 
painting,  advised  the  artist  to  sell  his  drawings  of  Rubens’  works  to  Law  in 
exchange  for  stock  in  the  “System.”  Unfortunately  Nattier  took  this  ad- 
vice, and  the  drawings  were  disposed  of  for  the  sum  of  18,000  livres  paid  in 
bank-notes.  At  the  end  of  two  months  the  notes  depreciated  to  half  their 
face  value,  and  soon  afterwards,  in  the  general  ruin  of  Law  and  his  “Sys- 
tem,” became  utterly  worthless,  while  Nattier’s  beautiful  drawings,  the  ad- 
miration of  all  Paris,  were  carried  off  by  Law’s  son. 

This  loss,  a considerable  one  for  a young  artist,  was  followed  by  a family 
lawsuit^  which  so  reduced  his  financial  resources  that  nothing  was  left  him 

^John  Law,  a Scotchman,  was  an  able  adventurer  in  finance,  who  succeeded  in  impressing  the  French 
government  with  his  scheme  for  the  issue  of  paper  money.  He  acquired  from  France  the  territory  then 
called  Louisiana,  which  he  proposed  to  colonize  — an  enterprise  which  became  famous  under  the  name  of 
“ The  System,”  afterwards  known  as  the  “ Mississippi  Bubble.”  The  East  India  and  China  companies  were 
later  absorbed  into  it,  and  it  was  thereafter  known  as  the  “ Compagnie  des  Indes.”  In  1718  Law  became 
Director-general  of  the  “ Banque  Royale,”  of  which  the  king  guaranteed  the  notes.  The  Company  and 
the  Bank  were  combined,  and  in  1720  Law  was  made  Comptroller-general  of  Finance.  For  a while  the 
“System”  prospered  and  great  fortunes  were  made  in  speculation;  but  the  overissue  of  paper  money 
brought  on  the  catastrophe,  and  in  the  same  year  the  “ System  ” collapsed,  with  financial  ruin  to  its  share- 
holders. Law’s  estate  was  confiscated,  and  he  was  driven  from  France  — Editor. 

^ This  was  a criminal  affair  which  resulted  in  the  imprisonment  of  Nattier’s  brother  in  the  Bastille,  where 
he  committed  suicide  before  learning  his  sentence.  — Editor. 


24 


jWajeftenGf  in  ^rt 

but  his  talent.  He  consequently  determined  to  devote  his  attention  to  por- 
traiture as  the  most  lucrative  branch  of  art,  and  was  soon  fortunate  enough 
to  acquire  a great  reputation  in  that  line. 

In  1724  Nattier  married  Mademoiselle  de  Laroche,  a charming  girl  whose 
talents,  youth,  and  beauty  had  captivated  his  heart.  Her  father  was  a former 
officer  to  the  king,  and  the  family  lived  with  such  an  air  of  ease  and  luxury 
that  Nattier,  judging  from  appearances,  thought  that  in  following  his  inclina- 
tion he  should  also  benefit  his  financial  condition.  It  was  not  until  several 
years  after  his  marriage  that  he  discovered  that  his  father-in-law’s  fortune 
had  been  entirely  wiped  out  by  Law’s  “System,”  and  found  himself  obliged 
to  support  a dowerless  wife  and  a family  of  children  who  could  in  no  way 
lighten  for  him  the  burden  of  their  maintenance.  Happily  his  reputation  for 
portraiture  brought  many  distinguished  patrons  to  his  studio,  and  before 
long  he  became,  so  to  speak,  the  rage  among  the  fashionable  world — a dis- 
tinction which  he  enjoyed  for  several  years.  Among  the  works  which  con- 
tributed most  largely  to  his  reputation  were  the  full-length  portrait  of  Mar- 
shal Saxe,  an  allegorical  picture  of  Mademoiselle  de  Clermont,  one  of  the 
Princesse  de  Lambesc  as  Minerva  arming  her  brother  the  Comte  de  Brionne, 
and  those  of  the  princes  and  princesses  of  the  House  of  Lorraine.  His  work 
called  forth  the  admiration  of  all,  and  won  for  him  the  epithet,  bestowed  upon 
him  by  Gresset,  the  poet,  of  “pupil  of  the  Graces  and  painter  of  Beauty.” 

All  these  portraits  were  treated  historically,  and  added  so  much  to  Nat- 
tier’s  reputation  in  that  particular  style  of  painting  that  the  Chevalier  d’Or- 
leans.  Grand  Prior  of  France,  wished  him  to  finish  the  series  of  pictures  in 
the  Temple  ‘ which  had  been  begun  by  the  artist  Raoux,  who  had  died  before 
completing  it.  The  first  of  the  series,  however,  was  to  be  painted  in 
competition  with  the  gifted  artist  Noel  Nicolas  Coypel;  but  as  Nattier  was 
so  fortunate  as  to  be  victorious  in  the  competition  the  Grand  Prior  decided 
in  his  favor,  and  placed  a beautiful  apartment  in  the  Temple  at  his  disposal. 
There  he  painted  the  six  allegorical  pictures  which  completed  the  decoration 
of  the  Prior’s  gallery,  and  finally  the  full-length  portrait  of  the  Grand  Prior 
himself  in  command  of  a seaport  with  all  appropriate  attributes. 

In  the  year  1740  Madame  la  duchesse  de  Mazarin  engaged  Nattier  to 
paint  portraits  of  her  two  nieces,  the  beautiful  Mesdemoiselles  de  Nesle 
(notorious  in  later  years  as  Madame  de  Chateauroux  and  Madame  de  Flava- 
court),  as  ‘Point  du  jour’  and  ‘Silence.’  These  two  pictures  created  such  a 
sensation  at  court  that  the  queen’s  curiosity  was  excited;  and  when  she  saw 
them  she  was  so  struck  with  their  exact  resemblance  to  their  fair  originals 
that  she  immediately  ordered  Nattier  to  paint  a portrait  of  one  of  her  daugh- 
ters, Madame  Henriette.  The  artist  accordingly  painted  a full-length  of  this 
princess  engaged  in  making  a crown  of  flowers,  and  afterwards,  by  order  of 

1 The  “Temple,”  originally  the  fortress-residence  of  the  Order  of  Knights  Templars,  was  built  in  the 
twelfth  century.  After  the  abolition  of  the  Order  in  1313  the  building  was  used  for  various  purposes,  and 
during  the  reign  of  Louis  XV.  was  the  official  abode  of  the  Grand  Priors  of  France.  The  last  vestige  of  the 
Temple  was  finally  destroyed  in  1820.  — Editor. 


25 


i^attier 

Louis  XV.,  painted  a second  portrait  of  Madame  Henriette  and  also  one  of  her 
sister  Madame  Adelaide,  which  were  placed  at  Choisy  in  the  king’s  sleeping- 
apartment.  When  these  works  were  finished  his  majesty  bade  Nattier  come 
to  Versailles  to  paint  his  own  portrait,  after  which  the  artist  was  despatched 
to  the  Abbey  of  Fontevrault  with  an  order  to  paint  the  portraits  of  the 
three  royal  princesses  who  were  being  educated  there.  This  expedition  was 
a secret  one,  as  the  king  wished  the  pictures  to  be  a surprise  to  the  queen, 
who  when  she  saw  them  was  so  delighted  with  Nattier’s  work  that  she  de- 
cided to  have  him  paint  her  portrait  also. 

In  his  portrait  of  the  queen,  which  he  accordingly  made.  Nattier  succeeded 
even  beyond  his  hopes,  and  was  gratified  by  the  universal  applause  which  it 
evoked,  not  only  because  of  the  excellent  likeness  it  bore  to  her  majesty, 
but  also  on  account  of  the  noble  simplicity  of  the  composition — a simplicity 
which  he  had  taken  pains  to  preserve  at  the  express  request  of  the  queen. 
Nattier  was  also  successful  in  his  portraits  of  Monsieur  le  Dauphin  and 
Madame  la  Dauphine,  Monsieur  le  due  de  Bourgoyne,  and  Madame,  the 
daughter  of  the  Dauphin.  While  engaged  on  these  works  he  received  an 
order  to  paint  the  princesses  for  the  third  time.  A portrait  of  Madame 
Elisabeth,  the  Duchess  of  Parma,  in  court  dress  was  his  last  work,  for  he  fell 
ill  very  soon  after  it  was  completed. 

Nattier’s  reputation  had  been  greatly  increased  by  his  continuous  and  pro- 
nounced success.  Commissions  poured  in  upon  him  from  all  the  youth  and 
beauty  of  court  and  city.  He  had  the  honor  to  paint  the  Due  and  Duchesse 
d’Orleans,  the  Prince  and  Princesse  de  Conde,  and  many  other  personages 
belonging  to  the  nobility.  It  would  be  an  endless  task  to  enumerate  them; 
suffice  it  to  say  that  his  talents  were  in  demand  at  almost  all  the  courts  of 
Europe,  and  that  there  was  none  where  his  name  was  not  known  and  which 
did  not  deem  it  an  honor  to  possess  some  example  of  his  work. 

Always  industrious,  Nattier  devoted  every  moment  not  given  to  painting 
to  reading  and  drawing,  his  favorite  pursuits,  and  the  beautiful  sketches  which 
he  has  left  are  due  to  this  employment  of  his  leisure  moments. 

If  Nattier’s  prosperous  days  only  were  to  be  recorded  in  this  biographical 
sketch  and  no  mention  made  of  those  full  of  sorrow  and  sadness  which  fol- 
lowed, this  would  be  the  place  to  close;  but  truth  demands  that  as  exact  and 
faithful  an  account  shall  be  rendered  of  the  last  years  of  the  artist’s  life  as  has 
been  given  of  the  first.  As  a matter  of  fact,  the  extent  of  Nattier’s  fortune 
was  never  so  great  as  it  had  seemed  to  be,  and  still  less  was  it  in  proportion  to 
his  reputation  as  a painter.  Moreover,  he  had  unfortunately  neglected  to 
insure  an  easy  old  age  for  himself,  so  that  had  he  attempted  to  continue  to 
live  with  the  same  degree  of  comfort  to  which  he  had  been  accustomed 
he  would  have  been  obliged  to  work  up  to  the  last  moment — all  through 
the  long  illness,  in  fact,  which  confined  him  to  his  bed  for  more  than  four 
years.  Appreciating  as  he  did  the  necessity  for  work,  it  was  doubly  hard  to 
find  that  his  popularity  was  waning.  Long  before  he  became  incapable  of 
using  his  brush  he  experienced  the  unhappy  fate  of  so  many  celebrated  men 


26 


in  ^rt 

of  every  age, — he  realized  that  he  had  outlived  his  reputation.  War,  that 
enemy  to  art,  the  inconstancy  of  the  public,  the  taste  for  novelty — every- 
thing, in  short,  combined  to  make  him  experience  the  most  pitiful  neglect. 
An  almost  complete  desertion  on  the  part  of  the  public  succeeded  the  great 
popularity  to  which  he  had  been  accustomed,  until  at  last,  of  all  his  commis- 
sions, there  remained  only  the  completion  of  a few  works  begun  for  the  court 
in  his  more  prosperous  days. 

Domestic  sorrows  also  embittered  Nattier’s  last  years.  The  keenest  of 
these  was  the  death  of  a son,  who  had  shown  a decided  talent  for  painting, 
and  whom  at  his  own  expense  he  had  sent  to  the  French  Academy  at  Rome. 
This  son  drowned  himself  in  the  Tiber  six  months  after  his  arrival  in  Rome; 
and  as  Nattier  had  become  a widower  in  1742,  three  daughters  were  alone 
left  to  console  his  declining  years.  In  July,  1762,  he  became  ill;  and  after 
four  years  of  great  suffering  he  died,  on  the  seventh  of  September,  17  66. — 
ABRIDGED  FROM  THE  FRENCH 

Madame  TOCQUE  doses  the  account  of  her  father’s  life  with  a 
touching  tribute  to  his  virtues.  “He  was  most  tenderly  attached  to  his 
friends  and  to  his  children,”  she  writes;  “and  such  were  the  frankness  and 
simplicity  of  his  nature,  the  purity  of  his  character  and  the  sweetness  of  his 
disposition,  such  his  scrupulous  honesty  and  eager  disinterestedness  in  serv- 
ing others,  that  he  fully  merited  the  titles  of  a good  father,  a true  friend,  and 
a thoroughly  upright  man — titles  by  no  means  brilliant  it  may  be,  but  which 
when  taken  in  their  fullest  significance  are  the  highest  praise  that  can  be 
bestowed  upon  a man.” 

The  writer  then  goes  on  to  summarize  a statement  made  by  her  father 
in  explanation  of  his  lack  of  worldly  success,  in  which  Nattier  reproaches 
himself  with  having  made  many  unfortunate  bargains,  as,  for  instance,  his 
disposal  to  Law  of  his  drawings  of  Rubens’  pictures  in  exchange  for  stock 
in  the  “System”;  blames  himself  for  careless  investments  and  a too  great 
willingness  to  lend  money  to  people  who  as  a rule  never  returned  it;  for  his 
negligence  in  exacting  payments  for  many  portraits  which  he  had  painted, 
not  only  for  his  friends,  but  often  for  mere  acquaintances;  for  having  spent 
more  money  than  he  had  been  justified  in  spending  in  the  purchase  of  articles 
of  virtu;  and  finally  he  pleads  that  he  had  had  heavy  expenses  to  bear,  as 
an  invalid  wife  and  a family  of  nine  children  had  necessitated  large  inroads 
upon  his  fortune. 

“With  so  much  to  contend  with,”  concludes  Madame  Tocque,  “it  may 
be  seen  that  it  was  difficult  for  Monsieur  Nattier  to  save  much  of  the  money 
which  he  had  so  easily  acquired;  but  can  any  one  in  justice  blame  him,  and 
does  he  not  judge  himself  too  harshly  ? Surely  any  man  may  be  counted  happy 
who  at  the  end  of  a long  life  can  reproach  himself  with  no  other  failings 
than  those  which  every  noble  and  generous  soul  can  readily  forgive.” 


3ean^j¥larc  i^atticr 


27 


Clje  art  of  Jtattttr 

ARsInE  ALEXANDRE  ‘HISTOIRE  POPULAIRE  BE  LA  PEINTURE’ 

The  name  Nattier  calls  up  innumerable  charming  visions  of  pretty, 
blooming  ladies  with  soft,  caressing  eyes,  clad  in  the  daintiest  and 
most  sumptuous  gowns — gowns  of  velvets  and  silks  and  satins,  gowns  em- 
broidered with  gold  and  delicate  with  laces,  gowns  with  the  stiff  bodices 
and  swelling  skirts  of  court  or  town,  or  those  coquettish  dishabilles  which,  if 
we  are  truly  gallant,  we  will  unquestioningly  accept  as  the  accredited  garb  of 
the  Olympian  goddesses  and  muses.  Nor  is  the  result  less  captivating  when 
he  clothes  one  of  these  delightfully  frivolous  little  ladies  in  the  tunic  of  a 
penitent  Magdalene  (a  tunic,  be  it  assured,  of  satin,  and  from  the  most 
fashionable  tunic-maker,  and  which  clings  so  coquettishly  about  her  pretty 
limbs)  and  exiles  her  to  a cave  in  the  desert  j and  no  less  fascinating  when 
he  replaces  the  penitential  tunic  (ah!  delicious  little  penitent — she  has  been 
careful  not  to  forget  her  becoming  court-plaster  patches !)  by  the  leopard’s 
skin  and  quiver  of  the  nymph  a-hunting.  How  delicately  graceful  are  these 
small  heads,  with  the  close-dressed  powdered  hair  that  gives  them  something 
charmingly  boyish  of  aspect!  They  all  wear,  it  may  be,  even  the  goddesses, 
a touch  of  rouge — perhaps  the  painter  himself  may  have  taught  them  how  to 
lay  it  on  most  becomingly — but  we  acknowledge  that  it  is  quite  in  charac- 
ter and  wholly  deceptive.  It  is  all,  of  course,  as  false,  as  theatrical,  as  one 
can  well  imagine,  and  yet  somehow  entirely  unaffected  and  broadly  simple. 
Reconcile  the  two  if  you  can! 

Casanova  says  that  Nattier  could  paint  an  ugly  woman,  produce  a perfect 
likeness,  and  yet  make  her  beautiful.  If  he  could  he  certainly  solved  a 
problem  that  has  vexed  artists  since  the  beginnings  of  portraiture.  We 
would  not,  however,  be  so  ungallant  as  to  suggest  that  he  availed  himself  of 
this  talent  when  he  painted  the  numerous  portraits  of  Louis  XV. ’s  charming 
daughters,  which  are  unquestionably  his  most  important  works.  They  hang, 
the  gentle  little  ladies,  unworthily,  in  the  dusty  galleries  of  Versailles,  high 
up  under  the  roof,  in  stifling  heat  in  summer,  bedewed  with  dampness  in 
winter,  with  no  care,  apparently,  for  their  rank,  their  delicate  graces,  or  their 
fortunately  solid  painting.  It  seems  strange  that  the  authorities  intrusted 
with  these  valuable  pictures  should  be  thus  careless  of  them,  since,  in  recent 
years  at  least,  Nattier’s  work  has  been  accorded  the  sincerest  proofs  of  pop- 
ular admiration.  Whenever  a picture  of  his  has  been  sold  it  has  fetched  an 
extremely  high  price,  and  when  one  has  appeared  in  a loan  exhibition  it  has 
attracted  much  admiration. 

In  color.  Nattier  was  fond  of  broad  unbroken  tones.  Never  was  he  more 
himself  than  when  he  had  to  paint  a sweeping  robe  of  rich  blue  bordered 
with  fur,  or  a gown  of  warm,  glowing  red,  shining  here  and  there  with  gold; 
and  yet,  though  he  painted  full  colors  without  dulling  them,  he  never  made 
them  garish.  His  eye  for  harmony  was  sure. 


28 


in 

The  quality  of  his  talent  is,  as  was  his  education,  wholly  French.  The 
copies  he  made  from  Rubens’  pictures  were,  his  contemporaries  assure  us, 
far  from  being  truthful  renderings  of  the  originals;  and  his  journey  to  Am- 
sterdam and  The  Hague  was  not  undertaken  because  of  an  inclination  to 
study  Dutch  or  Flemish  art,  but  solely  to  undertake  commissions.  His  talent 
is  peculiarly  and  thoroughly  French  in  the  fullest  acceptation  of  the  term. 
It  is  light  of  touch,  graceful,  easy,  clear,  and  self-poised.  Though  he  did 
not  go  beneath  the  surface,  or  attempt  to  portray  character  in  his  portraits, 
they  are  marked,  one  and  all,  with  great  charm,  simplicity,  harmonious  effect- 
iveness, perfect  distinction,  and  true  refinement. — abridged  from  the 

FRENCH 

ANDRE  PERATE  < C H E FS  - D ’ CE  U V R E * 

IN  every  one  of  Nattier’s  portraits,  even  those  in  which  the  subjects  seem 
to  have  been  most  unpromising,  we  must  admire  the  delicacy  of  model- 
ing and  the  rich  and  subtle  harmonies.  In  the  eyes  of  this  magician  of  the 
brush  no  woman  could  seem  ill-favored — that  she  was  a woman  was  enough 
for  him.  He  once  said  to  Casanova,  and  not  without  a touch  of  pedantry 
perhaps,  “The  gods  have  granted  me  a kind  of  magic  — the  power  to  trans- 
fer from  my  mind  to  my  brush  the  divine  charm  of  beauty, — a charm  none 
can  define,  since  none  can  tell  wherein  it  lies,  and  yet  one  which  all  recog- 
nize and  admire.  But  impalpable  and  fugitive  as  is  the  shade  that  separates 
beauty  from  ugliness,  the  effect  of  it  is  startlingly  great  to  those  who  have 
no  knowledge  of  our  art.” 

This  impalpable  shade  of  separation  betwixt  ugliness  and  beauty  vanishes 
under  Nattier’s  brush.  It  fades  beneath  the  witchery  of  a smile,  the  sparkle 
of  a glance,  the  shimmer  of  gold-embroidered  stuffs.  His  was  the  art  of 
charm  and  grace;  the  art  of  creating  fascination  with  a touch  of  rouge,  and 
grace  with  a flowing  line.  — from  the  french 

P.  HEDOUIN  ‘MOSAIQUE’ 

CELEBRATED  as  Nattier  was  in  his  own  day,  little  information  has 
come  down  to  us  concerning  his  life,  and  we  find  only  brief  mention 
of  him  by  any  of  the  eighteenth-century  biographers;  yet  his  art  was  more 
characteristic  of  that  century  than  was  that  of  any  other  French  artist.  With- 
out Nattier’s  portraits,  indeed,  how  could  we  form  any  accurate  idea  of  the 
pink-and-white  complexions,  the  velvety  cheeks,  their  fairness  emphasized  by 
tiny  black  patches  of  court-plaster,  the  ravishing  eyes,  and  all  the  varied  and 
coquettish  costumes  of  the  duchesses,  the  countesses,  and  the  marchionesses 
— the  fair  charmers  of  the  reign  of  Louis  XV.? 

Of  that  gay  and  brilliant  world  Nattier  became  the  idol.  Strong  as  this 
epithet  is,  it  is  nevertheless  none  too  strong,  for  by  all  women,  whether 
pretty  or  plain,  he  was  known  as  “the  Magician.”  It  is  easy  to  see  why; 
for  no  painter  ever  succeeded  so  skilfully  as  he  in  not  only  concealing  the 
defects  of  nature  in  his  models,  but  in  converting  those  very  defects  into 


29 


S^ean^jHarc  i^attier 

charms.  He  knew  how  to  give  an  interesting  air  to  a plain  face,  a capti- 
vating vivacity  to  a dull  blue  eye,  and  to  a bold  black  eye  that  was  hard  and 
forbidding  he  could  impart  so  spiritual  and  tender  an  expression  that  the 
most  timorous  would  be  charmed.  His  brush,  indeed,  might  be  compared 
to  the  magic  wand  of  Armida,  for  it  bestowed  beauty,  grace,  and  piquancy 
upon  every  face  that  came  under  the  spell  of  his  enchantment;  and  perhaps 
the  most  wonderful  thing  about  it  all  was  that  notwithstanding  the  flatter- 
ing transformations  which  his  models  underwent,  the  resemblance  which  his 
portraits  bore  to  their  originals  invariably  remained  striking. 

If,  however,  I should  be  called  upon  to  pass  judgment  upon  Nattier  as  a 
painter,  I should  be  obliged  to  admit  frankly  that  in  my  estimation  he  is  in- 
ferior to  Rigaud  and  even  to  Largilliere.  He  never  possessed  the  force, 
scope,  and  style  of  the  first  of  these  portraitists,  nor  the  breadth  of  execu- 
tion nor  unctuous  coloring  of  the  second.  At  first  sight,  it  is  true,  Nattier’s 
manner  of  painting  has  an  exceptional  fascination  and  charm.  His  touch 
was  light  and  delicate,  his  color  sparkling,  and  his  draperies,  painted  in  a 
way  peculiar  to  himself,  while  they  define  the  form  beneath,  float  and  flutter 
with  an  unparalleled  airiness  and  grace.  Finally,  his  compositions  are  always 
marked  by  both  propriety  and  esprit.  These  qualities,  however,  are  generally 
accompanied  by  a certain  stiffness,  a certain  finical  affectation,  a studied  and 
artificial  air;  and  in  consequence  his  portraits  have  none  of  that  frankness, 
truth,  and  appearance  of  nature  — that  realism,  in  short  — which  are  found 
in  the  works  of  the  great  masters. 

As  likenesses  Nattier’s  portraits  were  said  to  be  excellent,  although  it  was 
admitted  that  he  beautified  even  beauty  itself.  This  method  of  painting, 
which  contributed  so  largely  to  his  success,  especially  among  the  ladies  of 
the  court,  is  not  in  my  opinion  true  art  as  I understand  the  word.  But  after 
all,  his  talent,  like  that  of  the  more  gifted  Watteau,  was  in  perfect  harmony 
with  the  spirit  and  the  taste  of  the  times  in  which  he  lived. 

Nattier  occasionally  attempted  historical  painting;  but  there  is  nothing 
remarkable  about  any  of  his  works  in  this  kind  that  have  come  down  to  us. 
He  lacked  the  boldness,  force,  and  severe  nobility  which  should  characterize 
historical  pictures,  but  painted  them  with  the  same  delicacy  and  in  the  same 
somewhat  affected  manner  as  he  painted  the  portraits  of  the  pretty  women 
of  the  court;  and  the  very  qualities  that  make  these  court  portraits  so  inde- 
scribably charming  become,  in  his  historical  efforts,  serious  faults. — from 

THE  FRENCH 

CHARLES  BLANC  ‘HISTOIRE  DES  PEINTRES  DE  TOUTES  LES  ECOLES’ 

“ T TE  would  paint  an  ugly  woman  and  depict  her  features  so  accurately  that 
X X the  most  scrupulous  examination  failed  to  discover  any  untruthfulness, 
yet  nevertheless  those  who  saw  the  portrait  only  would  deem  her  beautiful. 
In  some  imperceptible  way  he  had  bestowed  a real  but  undefinable  beauty 
upon  the  whole.”  This  is  Casanova’s  dictum  upon  Nattier.  The  “imper- 
ceptible way”  was  the  artist’s  gift  of  grace;  a gift  to  which  we  owe  so  many 
charming  portraits  and  so  many  charming  painters  of  the  French  school. 


30 


in  ^rt 

Assuredly  Louis  XV. ’s  queen,  Marie  Leczinska,  was  not  beautiful;  she  was 
the  Cinderella  of  that  brilliant  court.  Yet  when  we  look  at  Nattier’s  por- 
trait of  her  we  find  her  charming,  and  marvel  that  those  dimpled  hands  and 
rounded  arms,  as  white  as  ivory,  could  not  confine  her  flighty  husband. 
When  we  recall  her  story,  and  remember  how  she  was  elbowed  aside  into 
the  shadow,  ever  protesting  from  her  obscurity,  with  a somewhat  bourgeois 
prudery  perhaps,  against  the  follies  of  the  butterfly  life  about  her,  and  mark 
how  the  painter  has  somehow  contrived,  by  the  border  of  black  fur  which 
winds  about  the  folds  of  her  red  velvet  robe,  to  suggest  her  lifelong  exile  from 
her  native  Poland,  the  image  of  the  queen  takes  on  a strong  fascination  for 
us,  and  we  pay  tribute  to  the  subtle  art  of  the  painter. 

Nattier  was  never  a great  artist;  but  he  was  the  painter  of  pretty  women 
par  excellence.  If  his  drawing  was  slightly  insipid  and  cold,  his  brush  was 
endowed  with  suppleness  and  grace;  and  the  harmony  of  his  coloring  is 
sometimes  so  remarkable  that  it  produces  the  effect  of  those  splendid  ancient 
tapestries  which,  mellowed  by  time,  have  faded  into  a magical  harmony. 
He  was,  nevertheless,  in  no  wise  afraid  of  pure  colors,  and  boldly  transferred 
to  his  canvases  the  vivid  tones  of  the  splendid  stuffs  with  which  the  court 
ladies  of  his  day  were  wont  to  adorn  themselves, — the  flame-color  or  bright 
greens  of  their  ribbons,  the  violet  or  scarlet  of  their  taffeta  or  velvet  mantles, 
the  blue  or  corn-color  of  their  silks,  and  their  white  satins;  but  he  blended, 
combined,  and  harmonized  the  strong  tones  so  cunningly,  and  so  warmed 
his  chiaroscuro  to  meet  them,  that  the  effect  is  never  harsh  nor  crude. 

Costume  played  no  less  an  important  part  in  his  canvases  than  in  women’s 
portraits  by  all  artists,  but  he  was  by  no  means  dependent  upon  the  sheen  of 
rich  stuff's,  the  cloud  of  delicate  laces,  or  the  gleam  of  gold.  Indeed  he  was 
especially  fond  of  posing  his  sitters  as  mythologic  or  allegoric  figures  whose 
costumes  counted  but  slightly,  and  such  subjects  are  not  the  least  delightful 
of  his  works;  nor,  in  spite  of  their  fantastic  quality,  do  they  cease  to  be  truly 
historical  in  the  broader  sense. — abridged  from  the  french 

W.  BURGER  ‘GAZETTE  DES  BEAUX-ARTS’;  1860 

JEAN-MARC  NATTIER  was  a court  painter  with  all  the  accomplish- 
ments and  all  the  faults  peculiar  to  that  species  of  fashionable  manufac- 
turer. He  imparted  an  appearance  of  youth  and  nobility  to  his  models, 
frequently  deviating  from  nature  to  bestow  a sort  of  conventional  flattery 
upon  people  to  whom  aristocratic  birth  had  not  always  lent  distinction  or 
charm;  and,  as  a natural  consequence,  his  portraits  are  marked  by  no  depth 
nor  individuality  of  character. 

All  the  princesses  painted  by  Nattier  so  strongly  resemble  one  another 
that  they  might  easily  be  mistaken  for  one  and  the  same.  Upon  leaving  the 
gallery  at  Versailles,  where  so  many  of  his  portraits  are  collected,  one  remem- 
bers but  a single  face,  a description  of  which  would  answer  for  the  passport 
of  any  pretty  woman, — a round  face,  a nose  of  no  particular  kind,  a medium- 
sized mouth,  and  a pink-and-white  complexion.  Sometimes  this  same 
charming  lady  appears  disguised  as  a vestal  virgin  seated  in  a temple  near 


31 


S^can^j^larc  i^attier 

the  sacred  fire,  and  she  is  also  to  be  met  with  under  the  titles  of  Madem- 
oiselle de  Lambesc  as  Minerva  arming  her  young  brother  the  Comte  de 
Brionne,  and  Madame  la  duchesse  d’Orleans  as  Hebe  holding  an  urn  of  nectar 
in  her  hand.  But  Nattier  was  unquestionably  an  able  artist,  and  painted  with 
marvelous  skill  the  gleaming  satins,  lustrous  silks,  and  costly  brocades — all 
the  accessories  in  short,  however  trifling,  that  we  see  in  his  sumptuous  and 
stately  portraits.  — from  the  french 

OLIVER  MERSON  ‘LA  PEINTURE  FRAN9AISE  AU  XVII®  ET  AU  XVIII®  SIECLE’ 

Nattier,  whose  fame  was  very  great  about  the  middle  of  the  eight- 
eenth century,  and  who  was  subsequently  almost  forgotten,  seems  to 
have  recently  sprung  again  into  a singularly  exaggerated  popularity.  His 
early  vogue  was  due  to  the  fact  that,  as  Mariette  puts  it>  “his  method  of 
painting  charmed  those,  particularly  the  ladies,  to  whom  fine  colors  and 
smooth  finish  were  the  first  of  things  in  art.”  They  flocked  to  his  studio, 
the  fair  ones  and  the  plain ; and,  since  even  the  ugly  among  them  found  that, 
by  some  miracle,  they  had  become  lovely  on  his  canvases,  it  is  not  surpris- 
ing that  the  gallant  painter  became  the  fashion.  His  trick  of  subtly  flatter- 
ing his  sitters  by  representing  them  as  Olympian  goddesses  added  too  to  his 
popularity  in  that  artificial  age. 

But  times  have  changed;  and  it  is  difficult  to  account  for  the  newly  arisen 
vogue  of  our  own  day  for  Nattier.  He  has  not  one  single  quality  of  real 
eminence : his  drawing  is  often  incorrect,  his  technique  without  salient 
merit,  his  color  lacks  any  unusual  charm,  novelty,  or  distinction,  and  his 
allegory  seems  to  modern  eyes  little  short  of  ridiculous.  Surely  the  merit  of 
having  flattered  his  sitters,  of  having  rouged  their  cheeks  and  brightened 
their  eyes,  seems  hardly  enough  to  set  this  “pupil  of  the  Graces  and  painter 
of  Beauty”  above  even  the  worthiest  of  his  contemporaries. 

Nattier  had,  be  it  admitted,  moments  of  superiority,  especially  when,  as 
portraitist  to  the  royal  house  of  France,  he  painted  his  noble  portraits  of  the 
queen  and  princesses  in  court  dresses  or  in  the  garbs  of  mythology.  These 
works,  if  not  of  the  sincerest  art,  are  at  least  stamped  with  distinction  and 
truly  royal  elegance.  — from  the  french 

PAUL  MANTZ  ‘GAZETTE  DES  BEAUX-ARTS’:  1894 

AT  about  the  period  when  Nattier  was  at  the  height  of  his  esteem  with 
./a  the  fine  ladies  of  Louis  XV. ’s  court  the  witty  Cochin  was  publishing 
in  the  ‘Mercure’  a series  of  ironical  essays  hitting  off  the  foibles  of  that  friv- 
olous world.  One  of  these  skits  thus  satirizes  the  contemporary  fashion  for 
allegorical  portraits  of  women  : 

“Our  ladies  are  represented,”  he  writes,  “almost  indecently  naked,  their 
only  garment  a tunic,  which  leaves  throats,  arms,  and  legs  uncovered. 
This  garb,  which  is  in  reality  none,  is  eked  out  by  a piece  of  silk,  blue, 
violet,  or  some  other  color,  wrapped  about  them  in  such  a way  as  to  serve 
no  useful  purpose,  although  it  must  be  cumbersome  to  wear  nevertheless. 


32 


in 

since  it  contains  many  yards  of  fine  stuff.  Some  of  these  ladies  are  crowned 
with  blades  of  wheat  or  other  such  rustic  adornments,  most  appropriately 
fastened  with  strings  of  rich  pearls.  Their  most  common  amusement,  it 
appears,  is  to  lean  upon  earthenware  pots  filled  with  water  which  they  are 
invariably  tipping  over,  apparently  for  the  purpose  of  watering  the  gardens 
at  their  feet.  This  leads  us  to  believe  that  they  must  be  unusually  fond  of 
horticulture — a supposition  confirmed  by  the  fact  that  they  are  always  rep- 
resented in  the  midst  of  the  open  country.  Another  favorite  recreation  with 
them  seems  to  be  the  raising  of  birds,  even  of  those  sorts  most  difficult  to 
tame,  such  as  eagles,  which  we  frequently  observe  them  attempting  to  nourish 
with  white  wine  out  of  golden  cups.  They  seem,  however,  to  be  most 
thoroughly  successful  in  the  breeding  of  turtle-doves,  for  these  gentle  birds 
flutter  about  some  of  them,  especially  those  of  more  melancholy  humors,  in 
great  numbers.” 

Although  Nattier  is  not  named,  it  is  clear  that  the  writer’s  irony  is  directed 
at  his  portraits,  with  their  diaphanous  draperies,  their  flowing  urns,  their  agri- 
cultural attitudes,  and  their  Hebes  attempting  to  “nourish  eagles  with  white 
wine  out  of  golden  cups.”  But,  if  we  must  admit  that  Nattier’s  allegorical 
subjects  are  mere  theatrical  nonsense,  we  should  remember  that  he  was  con- 
strained by  the  fashion  of  his  times.  The  painter  Raoux  had  shown  the  way 
to  Olympus  before  him,  and  had  depicted  Mile,  Prevost  as  a bacchante. 
Mile.  Journet  as  a priestess  of  Diana,  Mile.  Quinault  as  Amphitrite,  as  Sil- 
via, and  as  Thalia,  not  to  mention  the  host  of  actresses  to  whom  such 
masquerading  came  more  naturally.  Nattier  but  carried  the  fashion  further, 
and  subpoenaed,  as  it  were,  all  the  fairer  denizens  of  Olympus.  How  many 
noble  ladies  became  Hebes,  or  Floras,  or  Auroras  under  his  brush!  — nay, 
even  the  most  unoffending  of  the  bourgeoises  were  transformed  into  muses  at 
the  very  least.  How  many  white-armed  nymphs  tilt  urns  to  irrigate  symbolic 
reeds!  — for  Nattier  was  allegorical  even  to  his  minor  accessories;  and  never 
was  there  a more  lavish  use  of  turtle-doves  and  white-wine-nourished  eagles 
than  in  his  pictures. 

To  name  all  his  shortcomings  at  once,  we  may  as  well  confess  that  he 
was  frankly  a mannerist,  and  that  instead  of  modifying  his  processes  accord- 
ing to  his  models,  and  instead  of  searching  for  their  individual  characteristics, 
he  preferred  to  adhere  to  his  own  rather  limited  type;  that  he  was  least  suc- 
cessful in  his  portraits  of  men,  since  he  so  softened  their  features  as  to 
make  them  effeminate, — a tendency  towards  oversoftness  for  which  he  was 
not,  however,  wholly  to  blame,  for  it  marked  all  the  painting  of  his  time. 
He  seems,  moreover — gallant  courtier  that  he  was — to  have  been  unwill- 
ing to  admit  that  any  woman  could  be  ugly,  and  was  from  first  to  last  a per- 
sistent flatterer. 

Admitting  all  these  faults,  however,  I believe  that  we  owe  a long  unpaid 
debt  of  recognition  to  Jean-Marc  Nattier;  and  even  at  the  risk  of  bringing 
down  upon  my  devoted  head  the  contempt  of  purists  and  of  those  enamored 
of  the  “grand  style,”  I must  frankly  confess  that  I cannot  join  the  ranks  of 
those  who  scorn  him.  As  a painter  he  possessed  no  mean  ability;  his  color- 


33 


^ t an  ^ ^ at  c a 1 1 i e r 

ing,  at  the  very  least,  was  always  effective  and  agreeable,  and  he  was  unde- 
niably the  possessor  of  a most  distinctive  and  individual  quality  of  charm. 
Theatrical  he  was,  it  is  true,  but  he  was  the  court  painter  of  a theatrical  age; 
and  we  may  well  ask  if,  on  the  whole,  the  Court  of  Louis  XV.  could  have 
found  a better  historian.  — abridged  from  the  french 


'Ci)t  WotkQ  of  jEattter 

ELEANOR  LEWIS  ‘THE  COSMOPOLITAN’:  1897 

The  pictorial  figure  of  the  fifteenth  Louis  against  its  no  less  pictorial 
background  has  been  a favorite  subject  with  artists  of  the  pen,  and  his 
life  has  been  thoroughly  investigated  even  as  regards  his  family  relations. 
We  are  made  acquainted  with  the  private  life  of  this  royal  family,  with  its 
monotonous,  comfortless  luxury,  its  paralyzing  dullness,  its  daily  low  levels 
of  enjoyment  and  occasional  heights  of  aspiration  ; and  are  led  to  observe  the 
significant  fact  that  at  the  most  corrupt  court  of  Europe,  and  possessing  in 
husband  and  father  the  most  corrupt  prince  in  Europe,  it  was  yet  possible 
for  that  prince’s  wife  and  children  to  lead  lives  that  the  breath  of  scandal 
never  touched. 

As  to  the  king  himself,  it  must,  in  common  fairness,  be  remembered  that 
circumstances  were  against  him  from  the  first, — the  age  in  which  he  lived, 
his  surroundings,  associates,  early  orphanage,  and  early  accession  to  absolute 
power,  for  he  was  only  five  when  the  sequence  of  events  placed  him  upon 
his  great-grandfather’s  throne.  There  could  be  but  one  feeling  for  the  beau- 
tiful boy  with  his  graceful  body,  gold-brown  curls,  and  dark-blue  eyes,  his 
childish  dignity  and  gracious  acceptance  of  the  homage  placed  at  his  feet — 
he  was  more  than  ^^bten  aitn'e”  he  was  adored.  The  first  concern  of  his 
advisers  was  to  get  him  married.  The  regent  had  betrothed  him  to  his  three- 
year-old  cousin,  an  Infanta  of  Spain,  but  political  intrigue  broke  off  the 
match,  and  she  was  sent  home.  A maturer  bride  replaced  her.  In  August, 
17  25,  he  wedded  the  Polish  princess,  Marie  Leezinska.  He  was  at  this  time 
fifteen,  and  almost  ideally  beautiful;  while  the  queen,  who  was  twenty-two, 
possessed  in  lieu  of  beauty  a fine  complexion,  a charming  expression,  and 
moral  graces  which  endeared  her  to  the  people  if  not  to  the  court.  Although 
her  married  life  was  passed  at  Versailles,  it  was  passed  in  comparative  retire- 
ment. She  had  a quiet  circle  of  personal  friends,  while  the  court  and  the 
royal  mistresses  followed  the  king.  At  Versailles  were  born  her  ten  children, 
whose  list,  beginning  with  twin  daughters  in  1 7 27,  includes  two  sons,  one 
of  whom  died  at  the  age  of  three,  and  concludes  with  a daughter  in  1 7 37. 

Each  princess  was  given  a “ household  ” at  her  birth,  for  with  these  babies, 
as  with  their  seniors,  etiquette  was  rigidly  observed.  The  eldest,  known 
simply  as  “Madame,”  with  her  twin  sister,  Madame  Henriette,  the  Dauphin, 
and  Madame  Adelaide,  remained  at  court;  but  the  four  younger  princesses 


34 


in  3lrt 

were  sent  early  in  1738  to  be  educated  at  the  Abbey  of  Fontevrault,  where 
ensued  that  curious  routine  of  religious  discipline,  fragmentary  study,  and 
mild  amusement  which,  under  the  name  of  their  education,  was  to  continue 
for  more  than  ten  years.  Music  and  dancing,  for  which  all  the  princesses 
had  a natural  aptitude,  were  the  only  branches  pursued  with  even  a sem- 
blance of  system.  As  for  solid  studies,  Madame  Louise  was  twelve  years  old 
before  she  knew  the  alphabet,  and  her  older  sisters  fared  little  better.  Such 
discipline  as  there  was,  was  exercised  in  the  wrong  direction  — Mesdames 
Victoire  and  Sophie  were  made  timid  for  life  by  being  compelled  to  say  their 
prayers  alone  in  the  burial-vault  of  the  convent;  while,  on  the  other  hand, 
there  was  no  restraint  at  all  in  the  matter  of  eating,  and  they  were  frequently 
ill  from  over-indulgence.  Madame  Felicite’s  fatal  illness  in  1744  was  in  the 
beginning  merely  a bad  cold,  but  was  soon  aggravated  into  a fever  by  injudi- 
cious eating  and  excitement.  In  view  of  the  danger,  she  was  hastily  baptized, 
— a trifling  ceremony  which  the  “Most  Christian  King”  had  hitherto  for- 
gotten,— lethargy  set  in,  and  the  next  day  she  died,  at  the  age  of  eight. 
Their  majesties  did  not  seem  much  troubled  at  her  loss:  the  king  played 
and  dined  in  public  as  usual;  the  queen  dined  alone  for  a few  times,  but 
played  cards  each  evening  and  never  spoke  of  the  child  again. 

At  about  this  time  large  allowances,  out  of  all  proportion  to  their  manner 
of  life,  were  given  to  Mesdames  Victoire,  Sophie,  and  Louise,  and  in  1747 
Madame  Victoire  was  permitted  to  return  to  Versailles.  The  two  younger 
princesses  remained  at  Fontevrault  another  two  years  and  a half,  thus  pass- 
ing more  than  twelve  years  without  once  seeing  their  parents,  although  at  so 
short  a distance  from  Versailles.  They  finally  returned  almost  as  untaught, 
almost  as  ignorant,  as  they  went. 

During  their  monotonous  convent  years  several  events  of  importance  had 
taken  place  at  court,  first  amongst  which  may  be  mentioned  the  marriage  of 
“Madame.”  In  1739,  being  then  twelve  years  of  age,  she  was  wedded  with 
great  expense  and  splendor  to  the  Duke  of  Parma,  and  went  to  live  in  Spain. 
At  first  she  was  cordially  welcomed,  but  the  dislike  of  Elizabeth  Farnese 
soon  clouded  her  life.  This  imperious  old  lady  blamed  her  daughter-in-law 
for  everything,  — for  being  young,  for  liking  sweets,  for  possessing  the  love 
of  her  youthful  husband,  for  remembering  her  own  country,  for  longing  for 
her  twin  sister,  for  existing  at  all  when  she  might  so  much  more  suitably  be 
dead.  Three  times,  however,  she  had  the  pleasure  of  returning  to  France, 
where  her  jocund,  piquant  beauty  was  greatly  admired.  At  her  last  visit,  in 
September,  17  57,  she  came  fresh,  blooming,  and  gay.  Three  months  later 
she  lay  dead  of  smallpox  at  Versailles. 

Scarcely  happier  was  Madame  Henriette.  According  to  her  portraits,  she 
possessed  an  ivory  whiteness  of  complexion,  great  tender,  melancholy  eyes, 
and  delicate,  aristocratic  features.  Unfortunate  in  her  love  for  the  Due  de 
Chartres  (their  marriage  being  forbidden  by  the  king),  parted  from  her  twin 
sister,  her  other  self,  Madame  Henriette  found  her  best  remaining  joy  in  the 
society  of  the  Dauphin,  and  in  being  gentle  and  considerate  with  all.  .More 
than  any  of  her  sisters  she  was  noted  for  a certain  gracious  amiability  and  tact. 


35 


e a n ? i¥l  a r c a 1 1 i e r 

She  shared  their  artistic  tastes,  and  played  the  violoncello  well,  and  excelled 
in  drawing  and  in  the  painting  of  miniatures.  Her  father’s  favorite  when  in 
health,  she  no  sooner  began  to  fail  than  he  turned  from  her  with  that  notice- 
able shrinking  from  the  thought  of  pain  and  death  which  grew  upon  him  year 
by  year.  He  bade  her  conceal  her  pallor  under  rouge,  saying  harshly  that  he 
did  not  like  white  faces,  and  she  obeyed.  She  tried  to  conceal  her  illness 
itself  as  long  as  possible.  Lonely  in  the  midst  of  numbers,  desolate  in  mag- 
nificent Versailles,  she  died,  in  February,  1752,  murmuring  some  last  words 
about  “My  sister,  my  poor  sister!”  The  king’s  grief,  intense  for  a moment, 
did  not  interfere  with  his  ordinary  diversions,  and  was  entirely  dissipated  with 
the  superb  funeral  bestowed  upon  this  sweetest  of  all  his  daughters. 

Of  Madame  Sophie,  who  died  in  1782^-in  good  time  to  escape  the  Revo- 
lution, there  is  comparatively  little  to  be  said.  She  was  shy,  reserved,  terribly 
afraid  of  thunder-storms,  harmonious  with  the  others  in  tastes  and  habits, 
and  blends  indistinguishably  with  the  family  group. 

Madame  Victoire  followed  the  lead  of  Madame  Adelaide,  with  her  survived 
the  rest,  with  her  died  in  exile,  and  at  about  the  same  time. 

The  strongest  character  among  the  sisters  was  undoubtedly  Madame 
Adelaide.  She  was  decidedly  the  best  educated,  and  seems  to  have  had  a 
natural  inclination  for  study.  She  understood  English  and  Italian,  was  well 
versed  in  history  and  mathematics,  and  played  with  skill  upon  several  instru- 
ments, especially  the  violin.  She  was,  moreover,  very  exact  in  matters  of 
etiquette — an  all-important  science  at  that  time.  The  king  often  consulted 
her,  and,  where  her  prejudices  were  not  aroused,  her  judgment  was  good. 
With  advancing  age  she  grew  domineering,  and  whereas  Madame  Victoire 
put  her  finger  into  other  people’s  pies  out  of  pure  gossipy  interest  as  to  their 
contents,  Madame  Adelaide  examined  them  as  her  right.  . . . 

The  sisters  usually  spent  the  forenoon  in  their  own  rooms,  reading,  paint- 
ing,  practising,  tending  their  flowers,  and  on  most  days  receiving  a short 
visit  from  the  king.  At  about  noon  they  dined,  later  were  present  at  his 
majesty’s  “ debotter”  visited  the  queen  at  six,  played  a game  of  cards,  con- 
cluded the  evening  with  a hearty  meal,  and  went  early  to  bed.  They  learned 
to  play  upon  various  instruments,  including  the  bass  viol  and  the  tambourine. 
They  also  seem  to  have  read  with  some  method,  and  each  formed  her  own 
collection  of  books.  Now  and  then  they  hunted,  an  amusement  of  which 
they  were  passionately  fond;  but  this  and  every  other  pleasure  yielded  to 
that  of  eating.  Gormandizing  was  a failing  with  all  the  sisters,  and  much  of 
their  ill-health  was  due  to  it.  D’Argenson  says  plainly  that  they  took  far  too 
little  exercise  and  ate  at  irregular  hours,  always  keeping  in  their  cupboards  a 
supply  of  ham,  Bologna  sausage,  and  Spanish  wine.  . . . 

The  tranquil  routine  of  Marie  Leczinska’s  life  was  not  interrupted  by  the 
return  of  her  daughters  from  the  convent.  They  had  their  own  lives  to  lead, 
she  hers;  and  she  paid  them  hardly  any  attention  except  in  matters  of  eti- 
quette, for  which,  with  all  her  simplicity,  she  was  a stickler,  and  in  requir- 
ing them  to  play  cards  with  her  daily  at  a stated  hour.  7'heir  feeling  for  her 
naturally  held  less  warmth  than  duty.  For  their  father,  on  the  other  hand. 


36 


in 

reprobate  though  he  was,  they  entertained  a very  real  affection ; and  he,  on 
his  side,  seems  to  have  cared  for  them  as  much  as  he  could  care  for  any- 
thing. The  queen’s  death,  in  1768,  drew  them  still  closer  together  in  their 
regret  for  a common  loss;  and  his  later  intimacy  with  Madame  du  Barry 
did  not  alter  their  relations,  except  as  it  led  Madame  Louise  to  a convent,  in 
177  0,  the  better  to  pray  for  his  much  imperiled  soul. 

In  1774,  when  the  king  died  of  malignant  smallpox  at  Versailles,  he  could 
hardly  be  called  an  old  man,  yet  he  had  long  outlived  the  bright  promise  of 
his  youth.  Throughout  his  terrible  infectious  illness  he  was  tenderly  nursed 
by  Mesdames  Adelaide  and  Victoire.  They  reached  their  moral  apogee  be- 
side his  death-bed.  Henceforth,  under  the  new  regime,  their  course  was 
steadily  decadent.  “The  old  aunts,”  as  the  “adorable  princesses”  were 
now  called,  found  their  chief  occupation  from  this  time  on  in  criticizing 
Marie  Antoinette,  “the  Austrian  woman;”  and  sowed  with  lavish  hands  the 
seeds  of  discord.  The  calamities  of  their  later  years  were  but  the  legitimate 
harvest  of  their  sowing. 

When  the  storm  of  the  Revolution  burst  over  France,  Mesdames  Adelaide 
and  Victoire,  the  last  of  their  family,  stood  alone,  like  frightened  children, 
in  its  path.  Helpless,  piteous,  scared,  they  were  thrust  out  from  the  safe 
seclusion  of  a palace  into  the  rude  streets.  It  was  only  after  a long  and  pain- 
ful debate  that  they  were  allowed  to  leave  France.  For  some  time  they  lived 
in  Rome,  then,  on  the  approach  of  the  French  troops,  withdrew  to  Caserta. 
When  the  Bourbons  were  driven  from  Naples  the  poor  exiles  fled  once 
more,  this  time  to  Trieste,  where  they  died.  When  Louis  XVIII.  came  to 
the  throne  he  had  their  bodies  brought  back  to  France,  and  interred  in  the 
tomb  of  their  race  at  St.  Denis.  After  so  many  vicissitudes,  Mesdames  de 
France  sleep  at  last  in  peace. 

DESCRIPTIONS  OF  THE  PLATES 

‘MADAME  ADELAIDE  OF  FRANCE  AS  DIANA’  PLATE  I 

The  first  portraits  which  Nattier  painted  of  the  daughters  of  Louis  XV. 

were  two  companion  mythological  likenesses,  one  depicting  Madame 
Henriette  as  Flora,  and  this  picture,  showing  Madame  Adelaide  as  Diana. 
The  youthful  princess  is  seated  beneath  the  shadow  of  a rock  in  a glade 
which  opens  to  show  a distant  prospect.  She  holds  a bow  in  the  left  hand, 
and  draws  an  arrow  from  her  quiver  with  the  right.  About  her  waist  is 
wrapped  a leopard’s  skin,  and  the  small  crescent  on  her  head  suggests  her 
allegorical  divinity.  The  picture  is  wrongly  listed  in  the  Versailles  gallery, 
where  it  hangs,  as  ‘Madame  Victoire  en  Nymphe  Chasseresse.’ 

‘MARIE  LECZINSKA,  QUEEN  OF  FRANCE’  PLATE  II 

ONE  of  Nattier’s  most  successful  and  dignified  portraits  was  that  of  the 
queen,  Marie  Leczinska,  which  was  first  exhibited  in  17  48,  when  she 
was  forty-five  years  old.  The  queen,  dressed  in  a red  robe  trimmed  with 


37 


^ean^0iatc  a 1 1 i e r 

fur,  is  seated  against  a background  of  columns  draped  with  a green  curtain. 
On  her  head  is  a kerchief  of  black  lace  tied  over  a white  lace  cap.  Her 
arm  rests  upon  a table  on  which  lie  the  crown,  the  royal  mantle,  and  a copy 
of  the  Gospels.  This  picture  originally  hung  in  the  queen’s  own  apartment, 
and  if  not  the  original  of  the  subject,  which  Nattier  repeated  many  times, 
it  is  certainly  a replica  which  he  was  expressly  commissioned  by  the  queen 
to  execute  for  her.  It  is  now  at  Versailles. 


<MLLE.  DE  CLERMONT  AS  NYMPH  OF  THE  WATERS  OF  CHANTILLY’  PLATE  III 

Mademoiselle  de  clermont  was  the  daughter  of  Louis 

III.  of  Bourbon,  Prince  of  Conde,  and  in  the  romance  called  by  her 
name  which  Madame  de  Genlis  has  written,  she  appears  as  one  of  the  most 
picturesque  and  pathetic  figures  of  her  time.  She  was,  according  to  the 
novelist,  of  supreme  beauty,  great  wit,  and  lovable  character.  When  twenty 
years  old  she  went  to  the  celebrated  watering-place,  Chantilly,  with  her 
father,  and  soon  won  all  hearts.  Here  she  fell  in  love  with  a young  courtier, 
Louis  de  Melun,  Prince  d’Epinay,  and,  it  is  reported,  was  clandestinely 
married  to  him.  He  was,  according  to  the  novel,  killed  in  a boar  hunt  at 
Chantilly,  and  Mademoiselle  de  Clermont  remained  all  her  life  faithful  to 
his  memory.  Nattier’s  portrait  of  her  was  painted  in  1 7 29,  five  years  after 
the  death  of  her  lover.  It  now  hangs  in  the  Conde  Museum,  Chantilly.  It 
shows  her  as  the  nymph  of  the  waters  of  Chantilly,  seated  before  the  spring 
and  leaning  on  an  urn.  On  her  left  a naiad,  in  a white  tunic  and  violet 
drapery,  pours  the  mineral  water  into  a crystal  cup;  on  her  right  is  a child 
holding  the  serpent  of  Tlsculapius  to  mark  the  health-giving  quality  of  the 
spring.  The  child’s  body  is  relieved  against  a yellowish-green  drapery;  and 
the  lady  herself  is  clad  in  a light  tunic,  with  a thin  blue  drapery  thrown 
about  her  shoulders.  Behind  may  be  seen  the  pavilion  of  Chantillv,  with  its 
bit  of  formal  garden,  as  it  was  in  her  time. 

‘MADAME  ELISABETH,  DUCHESSE  DE  PARME’  PLATE  IV 

This  portrait,  at  Versailles,  of  Madame  Elisabeth,  eldest  daughter  of 
Louis  XV.,  and  twin  sister  of  Madame  Henriette,  was  Nattier’s  last 
work.  It  represents  the  princess,  who  by  her  marriage  with  the  Infante  Don 
Philip  of  Spain  had  become  Duchess  of  Parma,  in  a court  dress,  seated  in 
a palace.  Her  gown  is  white,  embroidered  with  gold,  and  her  long  ermine- 
bordered  mantle  is  covered  with  fleurs-de-lis.  A crown  is  placed  beside  her 
upon  a rococo  table.  The  portrait  was  painted  after  the  early  death  of  the 
Duchess,  the  face  being  copied  from  one  of  the  artist’s  former  pictures  of  her. 

‘MADAME  SOPHIE  OF  FRANCE’  PLATE  V 

This  picture,  at  Versailles,  is  one  of  the  three  which  Nattier  painted 
in  17  47  at  Fontevrault,  where  he  had  been  sent  by  the  king  without 
the  knowledge  of  Marie  Leczinska,  that  he  might  take  the  portraits  of  her 


38 


in  ^rt 

daughters  there  as  a surprise  to  her.  Madame  Sophie  is  represented  in  a 
white  dress  embroidered  with  gold,  holding  her  veil  with  her  right  hand. 
It  may  be  regarded  as  a companion  picture  to  that  of  the  little  Madame  Louise, 
painted  at  the  same  time. 

‘MADAME  HENRIETTE  OF  FRANCE’  PLATE  VI 

This  picture,  now  at  Versailles,  is  the  finest  full-length  portrait  executed 
by  Nattier,  and  is  especially  brilliant  in  its  scheme  of  color.  Madame 
Henriette,  dressed  in  a gown  of  rich  red  brocade  patterned  with  gold  leaves, 
is  seated  in  a gilded  chair  before  a voluminous  curtain  of  blue  silk  draped 
across  the  back  of  the  canvas.  With  one  hand  she  touches  the  strings  of  a 
bass  viol  which  rests  against  the  stiff  folds  of  her  ample  skirt,  and  in  the 
other  she  holds  the  bow.  Her  bodice  is  embroidered  with  pearls,  white  satin 
bows  are  on  her  lace  sleeves,  and  in  her  powdered  hair  are  delicate  pink  and 
pale  yellow  flowers. 

The  picture  was  begun  in  1748  and  finished  six  years  later  — two  years 
after  the  death  of  Madame  Henriette.  Nattier  has  left  a letter  regarding  this 
portrait  in  which  he  speaks  of  it  as  “one  of  my  best  works,  which  I am  sure 
will  do  me  great  credit.” 

‘MADAME  LOUISE  OF  FRANCE’  PLATE  VII 

This  likeness  of  Madame  Louise,  the  youngest  of  the  daughters  of 
Louis  XV.,  was  one  of  those  portraits  painted  by  Nattier  at  the  Abbey 
of  Fontevrault,  where  the  three  younger  princesses  were  then  being  educated. 
In  a letter  to  the  Duchesse  de  Luynes,  the  queen,  writing  of  these  portraits, 
says:  “The  two  elder  girls  have  recently  grown  pretty;  but  I have  never 
seen  anything  so  charming  as  the  little  one.  She  has  such  a touching,  tender, 
sad  little  face,  and  is  almost  pathetically  sweet  and  spirituelle."'  As  M.  de 
Nolhac  has  observed,  “Nothing  could  better  set  forth  the  charm  of  Nattier’s 
portrait  of  the  little  Madame  Louise  as  a child  of  eleven  than  this  maternal 
description  of  her,  so  delicately  expressed  by  the  queen.”  The  picture  is  at 
Versailles. 

‘LA  DUCHESSE  d’oRLEANSAS  HEBE’  PLATE  VIII 

This  portrait  of  the  Duchesse  d’Orleans,  formerly  Madame  Louise- 
Henriette  de  Bourbon-Conti  (whose  likeness  is  also  reproduced  in  Plate 
ix),  represents  her  as  Hebe,  the  goddess  of  youth,  seated  in  the  clouds.  Her 
dress  is  white,  and  a gray-blue  drapery  is  thrown  over  her  knees  ; a garland 
of  flowers  crosses  her  breast,  and  flowers  are  in  her  powdered  hair.  In  her 
hand  she  holds  a shell-like  goblet,  towards  which  the  eagle  of  Jupiter  descends 
with  spread  wings.  In  her  other  hand  is  a gilded  glass  ewer  filled  with  nectar. 
The  picture  is  now  in  the  National  Museum  of  Stockholm.  It  is  signed 
^‘Nattier  pinxit,  1744.” 


3^ean?jHarc  i^attier 


39 


■‘LOUISE-HENRIETTE  DE  BOU  R BON-CONTl  ’ LATE  IX 

Madame  louise-henriette  de  bourbon-conti, 

daughter  of  Louis  Armand  II.,  Duke  of  Bourbon  and  Prince  of  Conti, 
was  married  at  the  age  of  seventeen  to  the  Duke  of  Chartres,  afterwards 
Louis  Philippe,  Duke  of  Orleans,  and  was  the  mother  of  Philippe  Egalite. 
She  died  in  17  59,  at  the  age  of  thirty-three,  and  we  know  little  about  her 
save  that  she  was  witty,  sharp-tongued,  and  one  of  the  most  beautiful  of  the 
great  ladies  of  Louis  XV. ’s  court.  The  present  likeness,  now  at  Versailles, 
shows  her  in  a white  underdress  draped  with  a blue  scarf.  Her  complexion 
was  dark  and  vivid,  and  her  hair,  when  unpowdered,  was  brown. 


<MADAME  ADELAIDE  OF  FRANCE’  PLATE  X 

This  portrait,  at  Versailles,  of  Madame  Adelaide,  third  daughter  of  Louis 
XV.,  represents  the  princess  in  a dress  of  crimson-and-white  shot  silk 
covered  with  embroidered  stars.  She  holds  a shuttle  and  gold  thread — “yizz- 
sant  de  la  frivoUte  ” the  catalogue  says.  This  may  perhaps  refer  to  the  then 
fashionable  occupation  of  “unraveling,”  which  consisted  in  disentangling 
the  gold  and  silver  threads  from  trimmings,  laces,  epaulettes,  and  brocaded 
and  embroidered  stuffs.  The  gentlemen  were  expected  to  provide  the  mate- 
rials for  this  popular  pastime,  and  the  ladies  frequently  derived  goodly  sums 
from  the  sale  of  the  proceeds.  Indeed,  so  much  the  rage  did  this  “unravel- 
ing” become  in  the  fashionable  world  of  that  period  that  we  are  told  that  a 
gentleman  who  entered  a circle  of  ladies  was  in  danger  of  losing  “all  his  gold 
fringes  and  laces,  nay,  even  his  very  coat,”  in  the  eagerness  with  which  his 
decorations  were  torn  from  him. 


A LIST  OF  THE  PRINCIPAL  PAINTINGS  OF  NATTIER,  WITH  THEIR 
PRESENT  LOCATIONS 

EN  gland.  Barnard  Castle,  Bowes  Museum  ; Portrait  of  a Lady;  A Lady  as  Diana 
— London,  Collection  of  Alfred  Beit,  Esq:  La  Duchesse  d’ Orleans  as  Hebe 
— London,  Wallace  Collection:  Qiieen  Marie  Leczinska;  A Prince  of  the  House  ot 
France  (in  part  by  Tocque);  Portrait  of  a Lady;  The  Bath;  The  Countess  of  Dillieres  — 
Sheffield,  Collection  of  Reginald  Vaile,  Esq:  The  Countess  of  Neubourg  and  her 
Daughter  — FRANCE.  Amiens  Museum:  Portrait  of  Gresset;  A Young  Girl  — Bor- 
deaux Museum  : A Daughter  of  Louis  XV.  (unfinished) — Chantilly,  Conde  Museum  : 
Mile,  de  Clermont  (Plate  in);  Louise-Henriette  de  Bourbon-Conti  as  Hebe;  La  Princesse  de 
Conde — -Dijon  Museum  : (^leen  Marie  Leczinska  — Limoges  Museum  : Madame  de  Pom- 
padour— Marseilles  Museum:  Madame  de  Chateauroux  as  ‘Point  du  jour’  — Nantes 
Museum:  ‘La  Camargo’;  Portrait  of  a Lady  — Orleans  Museum:  La  Princesse  de 
Conti  — Paris,  Louvre:  The  Magdalene;  A Daughter  of  Louis  XV.  as  a Vestal  Virgin; 
Madame  Adelaide;  Mile,  de  Lambesc  and  the  Comte  de  Brionne;  A Knight  of  Malta  — 
Perpignon  Museum:  Louis  XV.  — Tours  Museum:  Perseus  Showing  the  Head  of  Me- 
dusa at  the  Wedding  of  Phyneus  — Valenciennes  Museum:  Le  Due  de  Boufflers  — 
Versailles,  Palace:’  Queen  Marie  Leczinska  (Plate  ii);  Marie-Josephe  de  Saxe;  Ma- 

^The  titles  here  given  to  the  portraits  at  Versailles  do  not  in  all  cases  follow  the  names  in  the  official 
catalogue  of  that  gallery;  several  have  been  renamed  in  accord  with  M.  de  Nolhac’s  more  correct  identi- 
fications, published  in  the  ‘ Gazette  des  Beaux-Arts,’  1895.  — Editor. 


40 


in 


dame  Adelaide;  La  Duchesse  du  Maine;  Madame  Adelaide  (Plate  x);  Madame  Henriette 
(Plate  vi);  Madame  Elisabeth,  Duchesse  de  Parme  (Plate  iv);  Madame  Adelaide  as  Diana 
(Plate  i);  Madame  Henriette;  Madame  Sophie;  Madame  Louise  (Plate  vii);  Madame  Vic- 
toire  as  Hebe;  Madame  Henriette  as  Flora;  Madame  Victoire;  L’ Archduchesse  d'Au- 
triche;  Madame  Elisabeth  in  Hunting-costume;  Le  Due  de  Bourgoyne;  Madame  Sophie  as 
a Vestal  Virgin;  La  Princesse  de  Tourenne;  Madame  Henriette;  Madame  Adelaide;  Ma- 
dame Henriette;  Madame  Sophie;  Madame  Louise-Henriette  de  Bourbon-Conti  (Plate  ix); 
Madame  Henriette;  Madame  Sophie  (Plate  v);  Mesdames  Adelaide,  Victoire,  and  Sophie; 
The  little  Infanta  Isabella;  Jean-Marc  Nattier  and  his  Family  (see  page  20) — GERMANY. 
Dresden,  Royal  Gallery:  Marshal  Saxe  — Frankfort,  Stadel  Institute:  Portraits 
of  Jean-Georges  Leerse  and  his  Wife  — Frankfort,  Collection  of  M.  Alexandre 
Manskopf:  Two  Portraits  — Mayence  Museum:  La  Princesse  de  Talmont — SPAIN. 
Madrid,  The  Prado:  A Prince  of  France;  Two  Portraits  of  Mile,  de  Berry — SWEDEN. 
Stockholm,  National  Museum:  La  Duchesse  d’Orleans  as  Hebe  (Plate  viii);  La  Mar- 
quise de  I’Opital;  La  Marquise  de  Broglie  as  a Sultana- — Stockholm,  Von  Platen  Col- 
lection : Madame  de  Flavacourt  as  ‘ Silence  ’ ; La  Duchesse  de  Chateauroux;  La  Princesse 
de  Rohan-Soubise  — UNITED  STATES.  Boston,  Art  Museum:  Portrait  of  a Lady  — 
Chicago,  Art  Institue:  The  Duchess  of  Montmorency  (loaned). 


A LIST  OF  the  principal  BOOKS  AND  MAGAZINE  ARTICLES 
DEALING  WITH  NATTIER 

-EXANDRE,  A.  Histoire  populaire  de  la  peinture:  ecole  fran9aise.  (Paris,  1.893) — 


Bellier  de  la  Chavignerie,  E.,  and  Auvray,  L.  Dictionnaire  general  des  artistes 
de  r ecole  frangaise.  (Paris,  1882—7)  — Blanc,  C.  Histoire  des  peintres  de  toutes  les  ecoles: 
ecole  fran^aise.  (Paris,  1865)  — Dayot,  A.  LTmage  de  la  femme.  (Paris,  1899)  — 
Dilke,  Lady.  French  Painters  of  the  xviiith  Century.  (London,  i 899) — Gelis-Didot,  P. 
La  Peinture  decorative  en  France,  du  xvi®  au  xviii®  siecle.  (Paris,  1901) — Gonse,  L.  Les 
Chefs-d’oeuvre  des  musees  de  France.  (Paris,  1901)  — Gruyer,  F.  A.  La  Peinture  au 
Chateau  de  Chantilly.  (Paris,  1898)  — Hedouin,  P.  Mosaique.  (Valenciennes,  1856)  — 
Kingsley,  R.  G.  A History  of  French  Art.  (London,  1899) — Lejeune,  T.  Guidede 
I’amateur  de  tableaux.  (Paris,  1864) — Mariette,  J.  P.  Abecedario  et  autres  notes  in- 
edites.  (Paris,  1857—8)  — Merson,  O.  La  Peinture  fran^aise  au  xviie  et  au  xviii®  siecle. 
(Paris,  1900)  — Michaud,  J.  F.  Biographic  universelle.  (Paris,  1 843-55)  — Nolhac, 
P.  de,  and  Perate,  a.  Le  Musee  national  de  Versailles.  (Paris,  1896)  — Perate,  A. 
‘Madame  Henriette  de  France  par  Nattier’  in  Les  Chefs-d’oeuvre:  Peinture,  sculpture, 
architecture.  (Paris,  1898)  — Pinset,  R.,  and  D’Auriac,  J.  Histoire  du  portrait  en 
France.  (Paris,  1884)  — Tocque,  Madame.  ‘ Jean-Marc  Nattier  ’ in  Memoires  inedits. 
(Paris,  1854) — Vachon,  M.  La  Femme  dans  1’ art.  (Paris,  1893). 


Art  Journal,  1901:  The  Wallace  Collection;  French  Pictures  (C.  Phillips).  1902: 
Mr.  Reginald  Vaile’s  Collection  of  Eighteenth  Century  French  Pictures  (F.  Rinder)  — 
Chronique  des  Arts,  1899:  Deux  portraits  de  Nattier  a I’lnstitut  Stadel  a Frankfort 
(A.  Valabregue)  — Cosmopolitan,  1897:  A Royal  Family  (E.  Lewis) — Gazette  des 
Beaux-Arts,  i860:  Exposition  de  tableaux  de  I’ecole  frangaise  (W.  Burger).  1894:  Un 
Document  sur  Nattier  (B.  Prost).  1894:  J.-M.  Nattier  (P.  Mantz).  1895:  Nattier,  peintre 
des  Mesdames,  lilies  de  Louis  XV.  (P.  de  Nolhac). 


MAGAZINE  articles 


MASTERS  IN  ART 


Carton  anti  platinum  ^Jjotograpfjs 

FOR  GRADUATION  AND  WEDDING  PRESENTS 


WE  can  supply  a large  assortment  of  mounted  and  unmounted  prints,  framed  and  unframe  1 pho- 
tographs in  carbi  n and  platinum  finish,  suitable  for  Webbing  giftiS  and  jSCilOOl  bCCOration. 
C,'23cnbU.'lting  Clnss'c^  intending  to  leave  an  appropriate  class  memorial  with  their  Alma 
Mater  should  write  at  once  for  illustrated  catalogue,  sample  pictures,  and  list  of  suitable  subjects. 
C,Are  you  familiar  with  our  new  SSOcbconiatic  negatives  of  the  paintings,  sculpture,  and 
architecture  in  Spain  and  Italy 

Send  Ten  Cents  for  Illustrated  Catalogue  with  Photographic  Insert. 

SOULE  ART  COMPANY 


Copyright^  jgOT 
Soule  Art  Company. 


(Established  1859) 


332  Washington  Street,  BOSTON,  MASS. 


^CABOT’S  SHINGLE  STAINS 


50  Per  Cent  Cheaper 
than  Paint,  and  lOO 
Per  Cent  more  Artis- 
tic; for  Shingles  and 
all  Rough  Woodwork. 
The  Original  and 
Standard  Shingle  Stains 


Miniature  Shingles 
Stained  in  Twenty- 
four  Shades  of  Moss 
Green,  Bark -Brown, 
Silver-Gray,  etc.,  and 
Litho  - Water  - Color 
Chart  sent  on  request. 


Cope  & Stewardson,  Archts.,  Philadelphia. 

SAMUKL>  CABOT,  Sole  Manufacturer.  2 Liberty  Square.  Boston,  Mass. Agents  at  all  Central  Points. 


Art  of  the  World — 1000  Subjects 

CO$MO$^PICrURES 

Trade  Alirk  Registered 


All  that  is  best  in  the  work  of 
the  old  and  modern  masters,  is  now 
available  to  the  student  at  2 and 
5 cents  each. 

10  Pictures  for  25  Cents,  6x8^ 
inches,  or 

4 Pictures  for  25  Cents,  9x15 
or  10  X 13  inches. 

Hard  to  believe  them  as  fine  as 
platinum  and  carbon  prints. — but 
they  are. 

Get  Catalog  No.  13  with  sample 
picture  for  three  2-cent  stamps,  with 
nearly  1000  miniature  illustrations 
— worth  Si. 00  for  the  information. 


COSMOS  PICTURES  CO. 

296  BROADWAY,  NEW  YORK 


Clje  Boolv-illatc 

inside  the  cover  of  your 
book  not  only  settles  the 
question  of  ownership  for 
all  time,  but  also  fur- 
nishes an  excellent  op- 
portunity to  express  your 
taste  in  identifying  your 
personality  with  your 
books. 


is  the  most  convenient  ' 
and  artistic  way  of  mark- 
ing a book. 


¥- 


mitl)  I^orttr  ^rtsss 

Makers  of  Artistic  Book-Plates 


64  FEDERAL  ST.,  BOSTON 


Correspondence  Invited 


MASTERS  IN  ART 


“IT  HAS  TAUGHT  ME  ALL  THAT  A TEACHER  COULD  HAVE  TAUGHT— HOW 
TO  BEGIN  RIGHT,  HOW  TO  AVOID  DIFFICULTIES,  AND  THE 
‘TRICKS  OF  THE  TRADE.’” 

BraxDing 

CHARLES  D.  MAGINNIS 

NLY  practice  will  make  an  accomplished  pen- 
draughtsman  ; but  this  little  treatise  teaches 
whatever  can  be  taught  of  the  art ; namely, 
how  to  practice,  what  “style”  is,  and  how  to 
attain  it,  what  pens,  inks,  and  papers  have  been  found 
most  serviceable,  how  to  use  line  and  hatch,  how  to 
produce  textures  and  to  represent  various  surfaces,  val- 
ues and  colors,  how  to  depict  and  treat  details, — in  a 
word,  imparts  a knowledge  of  all  the  ways,  means,  and 
processes  that  experience  has  proved  useful.  The  key- 
note of  the  book  is  practicality.  Each  of  the  72  illus- 
trations is  a specific  example  of  some  important 
method.  It  is  written  interestingly  and  clearly.  With 
this  treatise  at  his  elbow  the  draughtsman  can  make 
most  valuable  use  of  his  spare  minutes. 

Price,  $1.00,  Postpaid 

THE  BOOK  MEASURES  7^4  x 5 INCHES,  CONTAINS  130  PAGES  AND  72  ILLUS- 
TRATIONS, IS  PRINTED  ON  HEAVY  PAPER  AND  BOUND  IN  GRAY  CLOTH. 

THIRD  EDITION. 


BATES  & GUILD  COMPANY,  PUBLISHERS 

42  CHAUNCY  STREET,  BOSTON,  MASS. 


MASTERS  IN  ART 


iHasterpteccs  of  9lrt 


UR  large  series  of  Photogravures  comprises 
selections  from  some  of  the  foremost  Eu- 
ropean Galleries  in  monochrome  copper 
prints,  which,  in  their  faithfulness  to  the 
originals,  come  close  to  the  possible  limits  of  reproductive 
art. 

THE  COLLECTIONS  REPRESENTED  ARE  : 

The  Hermitage  in  St.  Petersburg 
The  National  Gallery  in  London 
The  Prado  in  Madrid 
The  Rembrandts  in  the  Berlin,  Cassel, 
and  Dresden  Galleries 
The  Masterpieces  of  Grosvenor  House 
Masterpieces  of  the  French  School  of  the 
XVIII  Century,  from  the  collection 
of  the  German  Emperor 
The  Holbeins  and  D'urers  in  the  Berlin 
Gallery 

A catalogue  of  these,  with  a few  illustrations,  is 
mailed  upon  receipt  of  loc  in  stamps.  Also  write  for 
particulars  regarding  our  fully  illustrated  catalogue. 


25erlin  ^l^otograpljic  Companp 

/Fine  3Irt  J^ublisbcr? 

14  EAST  23D  STREET,  NEW  YORK 


The  great  picture  light 
IS  THAT  provided  BY 

jfcink’8  Sigstem 
of  TReflectors  » 

Can  be  applied  with  equal  success  to  large  or  small  gal- 
leries. It  is  used  for  lighting  the  following  places:  — 

IVllIQPlimQ  * The  Metropolitan  Museum  of  Art, 
X lUJGUilia  . New  York;  The  Corcoran  Gallery, 
Washington  ; The  Art  Institute,  Chicago ; The  Carne- 
gie Galleries,  Pittsburg;  Museum  of  Arts  and  Science, 
Brooklyn  ; H istorical  Society,  Albany ; School  of  Design, 
Providence,  R.  1. 

Private  Galleries:  °S:fZr7/£‘"’T: 

Gerry,  Mr.  Charles  T.  Yerkes,  Mr.  M.  C.  D.  Borden 
and  Mr.  James  W.  Ellsworth,  New  York;  Mr.  Potter 
Palmer,  Chicago  ; Mr.  Joseph  Jefferson,  Buzzard's  Bay; 
P.  A.  B.  Wiedener,  Wm.  L.  Elkins,  John  Wanamaker, 
Philadelphia. 

Picture  Dealers*  Galleries: 

Ruel,  M.  Knoedler  & Co.,  Boussod,  Valadon  & Co., 
Eugene  Fischof,  Blakeslee  & Co.,  Ortgies  & Co.,  Mon- 
tross  & Co.,  Arthur  Tooth  & Sons,  C.  W.  Krauschaar, 
Herman  Wunderlich,  and  Julius  Oehme,  New  York; 
Edward  Brandus,  New  York  and  Paris;  Charles  Sedel- 
meyer,  Paris. 

Correspondence  invited.  Telepho7ie:  Sbo  FraJiklisi. 

I.  P.  FRINK,  551  Pearl  St.,  New  York. 

GEORGE  FRINK  SPENCER,  Manager. 


Ot&fners  o_f  'Btiildings 
A.'Void  Liability 

from  damages  caused  by  ice  or  snow 
falling  from  roofs  by  applying 

T!1£  Folsom  New  Model 
Snow  Guard 

TRADE  MARK  ^ This  is  the  simplest 
^ //  Jj  2nd  only  perfect  device 
fl  i i\  /y  Y which  holds  snow  where 

tl  ]]/y  ^2lls,  prevents  slides, 

^ or  the  gathering  of  snow 

and  ice  at  the  eaves, 
which  so  frequently  causes  water  to  back  up 
under  the  shingles  or  slates  and  damage  walls 
and  ceilings.  Folsom  Snow  Guards  are  made 
for  shingle,  slate,  tile,  or  metal  roofs,  both  old 
and  new,  and  are  applied  at  trifling  expense. 
Specified  as  the  standard  snow  guard  by 
architects  everywhere.  Write for  information. 

FOLSOM  SNOW  GUARD  CO. 

105  Beach  Street,  Boston,  Mass. 


S.  S.  PIERCE  CO. 


BOSTON  — BROOKLINE 


MASTERS  IN  ART 


IF  YOU  HAVE  AN 

A N G E L U S 

YOU  CAN  PLAY 

THE  PIANO 


Ruropean  Travel 

Miss  Weldon  will  take  six  young  ladies 
abroad.  Restricted.  Highest  references.  Ad- 
dress for  Prospectus  of  the  trip 

Miss  WELDON 

“ The  Moorings  ” HOWARD,  PA. 


fntenor  decorations 

CL 

SPECIAL  Stuffs  and  Wall  Papers.  Fine 
Casts  and  Pottery.  No  cojinnissions  charged 
for  executing  orders.  Sketches  submitted  for 
alterations  and  interior  decorations.  Careful 
attention  given  to  doing  over  rooms. 

MISS  WOODVILLE 
MRS.  H.  MARKOE 

No.  no  SOUTH  17th  STREET,  PHILADELPHIA 
Corresponcients  in  London  and  New  York 


C.  W.  NORRIS 

Imported  ^ 

Hornet  tic 

WALL  PAPERS 

BURLAPS  — CRASHES  — TAPESTRIES 
Full  Line  of  Samples  Shown  at  House 
Plain  and  Decorative  Painting 

No.  628  TREMONT  STREET,  BOSTON 

TELEPHONE  826-3  TREMONT 


lacaDem^  of  Cincinnati 

ENDOWED  FOR  HIGilER  EDUCATION  IN  ART 

SUMMER  TERM  1902 

JUNE  i6th  to  AUGUST  23d.  10  Weeks.  $20.00 

Drawing  and  Painting  from  the  costumed  model. 

Out-of-door  study  from  landscape. 

Also  China  Painting  and  Design. 

The  Academy  is  in  Eden  Park,  200  acres,  on  a hill  over- 
looking the  city.  Students  are  admitted  free  to  the  adja- 
cent Art  Museum. 

J.  H.  GEST,  Director,  CINCINNATI 


SCHOOL. OF. THE 
MUSEUM.  OF.  FINE.  ARTS 


BOSTON,  MASS. 


INSTRUCTORS 


SCHOLARSHIPS 


E.  C.  TARBELL  ) 

F.  W.  BENSON  [ 
PHILIP  HALE  ) 


Drawing  and 
Painting. 


B.  L.  PRATT  Modeling 

Mrs.  WM.  STONE 

Decorative  Design 


Paige  Foreign  Scholarship 
for  Men  and  Women. 

Helen  Hamblen  Scholarship. 
Ten  Free  Scholarships. 
Prizes  in  money  awarded  in 
each  department. 

Twenty-seventh  Year 


E.  W.  EMERSON  Anatomy 
A.  K.  CROSS  Perspective 


For  circulars  and  terms 
address  the  manager 


Fall  Term  opens  September  29. 


Miss  EMILY  DANFORTH  NORCROSS 


THE  EUROPEAN  TOUR 


is  one  of  the  many  things  that 

SHOULD  NOT  BE  POSTPONED. 

Although  many  of  our  parties  are  filled  ( 20  the  limit),  still 
it  may  be  we  can  take  care  of  you.  Parties  under  cultured 
leaders  sail  June  10,  12,  14,  and  19,  and  July  1,  to 

ALL  POINTS  IN  EUROPE. 

A telegram  or  two  will  suffice  to  anracige  matters. 
BUREAU  OF  UNlVERSlTr  TRAV^EL,  ITHACA,  N.Y. 


^i^initecocfi 
Rummer  ^ci^ool  of 

(incorporated) 

SOUTHAMPTON  ....  LONG  ISLAND 
i2th  Season — June  ist  to  October  ist,  1902 

Instructor,  WM.  M.  CHASE 

This  will  be  positively  Mr.  Chase’s  last  season  with  the  school. 
Classes  for  Men  and  Women  in  Oils,  Water-Color,  Pastel,  and 
Black  and  White.  Open-air  classes  in  Landscape,  Marine,  and 
from  the  Costume  Model.  Studio  classes  in  Portraiture  and  Still 
Life.  Prix.es  and  Scholarship  for  the  best  work  during  the  season. 
For  further  information  address 

C.  P.  TOWNSLEY,  Jr.,  Manager, 

Art  Village,  Southampton,  L.  I. 


MASTERS  IN  ART 


ItoSltuiinHrt 

K‘0etie3;^lu9tetetiiltonoflrapl)si 


THE  NUMBERS  OF  MASTERS  IN  ART 
WHICH  HAVE  ALREADY  APPEARED 
IN  THE  CURRENT,  TJ02,  VOLUME  ARE 

PART  25— JANUARY  . . PHIDIAS 

PART  26  — FEBRUARY  . PERUGINO 
PART  27  — MARCH  . . HOLBEIN 

(DRAWINGS) 

PART  28— APRIL  . TINTORETTO 
PART  29  — MAY,  PIETER  de  HOOCH 


PART  31,  THE  ISSUE  FOR 


SJwig 


WILL  TREAT  OF 

^aultott^r 

NUMBERS  ISSUED  IN  PREVIOUS  VOLUMES 

OF  MASTERS  IN  ART 

¥^01. 1. 

^ ¥Tol.  ll. 

Part  i.— VAN  DYCK 

Part  ij.— RUBENS 

Part  i.— TITIAN 

Part  14. — DA  VINCI 

Part  3.— VELASQUEZ 

Part  15.— DURER 

Part  4.— HOLBEIN 

Part  i6.— MICHELANGELO* 

Part  5.— BOTTICELLI 

Part  17.— MtCHELANGELOf 

Part  6.— REMBRANDT 

Part  i8.— COROT 

Part  7.— REYNOLDS 

Part  19.— BURNE-JONES 

Part  8.— MILLET 

Part  20.— TER  BORCH 

Part  9.— GIO.  BELLINI 

Part  21.— DELLA  ROBBIA 

Part  10.— MURILLO 

Part  22.— DEL  SARTO 

Part  ii. — HALS 

Part  23.— GAINSBOROUGH 

Part  12. — RAPHAEL 

Part  24.— CORREGGIO 

* Sculpture 

f Painting 

3tll  tijc  abobc  named 

are  constantip  kept  in  ptoek 

PRICE  FOR  SINGLE  PARTS,  15  CENTS  EACH 


PRICE  FOR  ANY  TWELVE  CONSKCUTlVE  PARTS, 
$1.50.  VOLUME  1, CONTAINING  PARTS  1 TO  12,  INCLU- 
SIVE, AND  VOLUME  2,  CONTAINING  PARTS  13  TO  24, 
INCLUSIVE,  CAN  BE  SUPPLIED  BOUND,  IN  BROWN 
BUCKRAM,  WITH  GILT  STAMPS  AND  GILT  TOP, 
FOR  $3.00  EACH  ; IN  GREEN  HALF-MOROCCO,  GILT 
STAMPS  AND  GILT  TOP,  FOR  53..">0  EACH. 


NEWENGLAIjDLAKES^ 

RIVERS  OF 

NEW  ENGLAND.  jjK 
MOUNTAINS  OF  ’ 
NEW  ENGLAND;  I tiC'  S 
SEASHORE  0F> 

% NEW  ENGLAND..  WM 

f picturesque'  ■ 

TNEW  ENGLAND^:' 

J HistoRie.-^Wi’sc^iLiijiEpus. 
r,  WiU  be  sent.' upon  receift'o'f'B'.CENTS 
.'j  p.EACH  BSbK.  ■ ! 


'^^Maine 

w F^ILROAD:::  : 


Ifustrated  descriptive  pamphlet  (cb'ntaininp  complete  maps)  have 
been  issued  under  the  fallowing  titles . and  will  be  mailed 
upon  receipt  of  2 CENTS  in  stamps  for  each  book. 

ALL  ALONGSHORE,  LAKE  SUNAPEE,' 

AMONG  THE  MOUNTAINS,  SOUTHEAST  NEW  HAMPSHIRE, 
LAKES  AND  STREAMS,  SOUTHWEST  NEW  HAMPSHIRE, 
FISHING  AND  HUNTING,  CENTRAL  M'ASSACHUSETTS, 
MERRIMACK  VALLEY,  LAKE  MEMPHREMACOC, 
THE  MONADNOCK  REGION, 

: VALLEY  eil"!  CONNECTICUT  ANS  NORTHERN  VERMONT, 
/ THE  HOOSAC  COUNTRY^  DEERFIELD  VALLEY. 

COLORED  BIRDTS  EYE  VIEW  FROM  MT. WASHINGTON 

„ SENT  ON  RECEIPT  OF  B CTS.  IN  STAMPS.  , 

<iMso  Summer Jbur/stBpo/irjim^  list  of  tours pnef rates,  hate f 
an  f ioard/np  /louse  jist, and  other  \ra/uu6/e  Inforniation,  free. 
For  all  Publications  ApplyTo 
Passenger  Department,  b.am.r.r. boston, Mass. 

GEn'l  PASs'r  STjCKtT  A6ENT. 


MASTERS  IN  ART 


The  Most  Thor- 
oughly Equipped 
System  oi  Rail- 
roads in  the  World 


A.  S.  HANSON 

General 

Passenger 

Agent 


BOSTON,  MASS. 


Bostorv  (Si  Albany  and 
New  Y ork  Central  Lines 


The  Luxury  and  Attendance 
of  the 

Most  Palatial  Home 

cannot  surpass  the  ELEGANT  and  SUPERB  TRAIN  SER- 
VICE furnished  the  tourist  on  the 

THROUGH  COACHES  AND  PULLMAN  PALACE 
. CARS  FROM  BOSTON 

New  York,  4 trains  daily. 

Buffalo,  8 trains  daily. 

Cleveland,  6 trains  daily. 

Toledo,  4 trains  daily. 

• Columbus,  3 trains  daily. 

Chicago,  5 trains  daily. 

The  Only  St.  Louis,  3 trains  daily. 

“ DOUBLE  TRACK  ROUTE  ” 

from  BOSTON  to 

ALBANY,  BUFFALO,  and  the  WEST. 

Sold  ' for  ^^WEST  BOUNDS 

A.  S.  HANSON,  G.P.A. 


ROWNEY'S  Finest  (/round} 


Most  BrUUknt, 


ROWNEY’S  ARTISTS’  COLOURS 

.'■Perfeetion 

^ Fainting 


[’COLOURS  Most  Permanents  IN  THE  MARKET. 


(ENGLISH  MANUFACTURE) 

For  Oil  or  Water-Colour 


ROWNEY’S 

ROWNEY’S 

COLOURS 

COLOURS 

Are  made  of  the 

Have  been  used 

finest  selected  ma- 

by  the  principal 

terials  obtainable. 

artists  in  England 

and  should  always 

and  France  for 

be  used  for  good 

over  one  hundred 

work. 

years. 

Established  1789 

• Established  1789 

P , FOR.;SALE  BY  ALL 
raHIGH  cCass  art  dealers. 


FAVOR,  RUHL  & CO. 

^Tmporterg 

54  Park  Place  NEW  YORK 


M ASTE  RS  IN  ART 


THE  CASTLE  OF  THE  MAIDENS,  from  Edwin  A.  Abbey’s  new  Holy  Grail^  is  especially  beautiful  and  appropriate  for 

WEDDING  GIFTS 


It  is  reproduced  exclusively  in  the  genuine  COPLEY  PRINTS  — in  gray  or  in  our  new  sepia  tone. 

For  sale  at  the  art  stores,  or  sent  direct  by  the  publishers.  Our  complete  picture  catalogue^  lo  cents  (stamps). 

CUR-TIS  CAMEROON,  16  Pierce  Bviilding,  opposite  Public  Libra^ry,  BOSTON 


“MASTERS  IN  ART”  PRINTS  OF 

ipolbein’js 

for  framing  or 
!®ounting 

\tb 

A SET  OF  THE  TEN  EXAMPLES  OF  HOL- 
BEIN’S PORTRAIT  DRAWINGS  AT 
WINDSOR  SHOWN  IN  MARCH  ISSUE  OF 
“MASTERS  IN  ART,”  PRINTED  IN  THE 
SAME  STYLE  AND  COLOR,  BUT  ON  ONE 
SIDE  OF  THE  PAPER  ONLY,  AND  WITH- 
OUT LETTERING.  SUITABLE  FOR  FRAM- 
ING OR  MOUNTING.  FIFTY  CENTS, 
POSTPAID.  

BATES  & GUILD  CO.,  BOSTON 


For  the  Architect,  Decorator,  Designer,  and 
Craftsman 

The  Architectural  Reprint 

For  1902 

Price,  $2.50  per  annum 

Size,  II  X /^.  Issued  in  Siuarterly  Numbers. 

One  hundred  and  vwenty-jive  full-page  plates  ’with  text 
in  each  volume. 


Volume  I.  completed  with  the  February  issue  contains 
besides  a selection  of  plates  from  Epoque  Louis  XVI. ; 
Blonder s Cours  d’ Architecture  ; Daly’s  Motifs  His- 
torique  ; Law  Courts,  Leipsic;  Letarouilly,  etc.,  com- 
plete reprints  of  the  two  books  : “ Renaissance  Archi- 
tecture and  Ornament  in  Spain,”  Prentice,  and  “ Hotels 
et  Maisons  de  Paris  ” by  Gelis- Didot  et  Lambert ; listed 
at  sixty-five  dollars. 

A limited  number  of  copies  of  Vol.  I.  remain  and  will 
be  sold  only  to  subscribers  of  Vol.  II. 

VoLu.ME  II.  will  contain  a complete  reprint  of  “Epoque 
Louis  XVI.”  and  “The  Decorations  of  the  Tuilleries,” 
and  numerous  illustrations  from  “ Blondel,”  “Cesar 
Daily,”  and  other  books  to  be  announced  later. 


Subscribe  no'W.  $2. yo  per  Annum. 

The  Architectural  Reprint 

WASHINGTON,  D.C. 


OUR  CATALOGUE  OF 

IS  NOW  READY,  AND  A COPY 
WILL  BE  MAILED  UPON  REQUEST 

? 

BATES  & GUILD  CO. 

42  CHAUNCY  ST. 

BOSTON,  MASS. 


Special  Numbers  of 

Cilt 

airtfiitettural 

c. 

Public  Libraries 

Published  January,  1902 

Contains  270  plans,  elevations,  sections,  and 
photographs,  illustrating  65  Modern  American 
Libraries. 

Price,  Postpaid,  $2.00 

c. 

Stables  and  Farm  Buildings 

In  Preparation 

To  be  the  most  comprehensive  work  on  the 
planning,  design,  construction,  and  fitting  of 
this  class  of  buildings  ever  published. 

Price,  Postpaid,  $2.00 

BATES  & GUILD  COMPANY 

42  CHAUNCY  STREET,  BOSTON 


MASTERS  IN  ART 


PURITAN  MODEL 


JlHson^^aralin€o. 

^ojston  gorft  Cfjicajo 


AN  ARTISTIC  PIANOFORTE 


^TT^HE  beautiful 
lines,  fine  pro- 
portions, and  exqui- 
site design  distinguish 
this  pianoforte  as  the 
aristocrat  of  its  class 


If 

/ 


BRAUN’S 

CARBON 

PRINTS 

FINEST  and  MOST  DURABLE 
IMPORTED  WORKS  of  ART 


NE  HUNDRED  THOUSAND 
direct  reproductions  from  the  original 
paintings  and  drawings  by  old  and  modern 
masters.  ^ Our  world-renowned  publica- 
tions of  the  most  celebrated  masterpieces  by 
Titian  number  300;  by  Holbein,  400; 
by  Velasquez,  150;  by  Rembrandt, 

400  ; etc.,  etc.  ^ Illustrated  e.'itract  from 
our  General  Catalogue  sent  on  application  ; 
price,  50  cents  (free  to  educational  institu- 
tions). ^ Special  terms  to  schools. 

BRAUN,  CLEMENT  & CO. 

249  Fifth  Avenue,  cor.  zSth  Street 

NEW  YORK  CITY 

No  other  branch  house  in  America. 

Special  terms  to  schools,  architects,  and  decorators. 


VISITORS  to  NEW  YORK 

Are  cordially  invited  to  the 

Cjrfitbition  of  I^aintings 

By  Bouguereau,  Rosa  Bonheur,  Cazin, 
Corot,  Daubigny,  Dupre,  Diaz,  Fromen- 
tin,  Henner,  Jacque,  Meissonier,  Roy- 
bet,  Rousseau,  Thaulow,  Troyon,  Ziem, 
and  a Collection  of  Portraits  by  the  Old 
Masters  of  the  Early  French,  English, 
and  Dutch  Schools. 


ART  GALLERIES  of 
EDWARD  BRANDUS 

391  Fifth  Avenue  Rue  de  la  Paix 

Bet.  36th  and  37th  Sts.  I 6 

NEW  YORK  PARIS 


4 S f 41^ 


GEHY  CENTER  LIBRARY  MAIN 

ND  SS3  N3  J43  BKS 

C.  1 

Jean-Uarc  Nattier. 


3 3125  00347  4455 


